Mickey Chandler's SpamSuite

Here is the Judge's order granting the ex Parte Motion for Temporary Restraining Order with Asset Freeze, Other Equitable Relief, and Order to Show Cause Why a Preliminary Injunction Should Not Issue.

The FTC started this case under seal so that they could serve the defendants and freeze all of their assets before they got a real chance to dispose of them.

Here is the FTC's complaint against Click Fusion Inc., Inet Ventures Pty Ltd., Jody Michael Smith, Lance Thomas Atkinson, Tango Pay Inc., and TwoBucks Trading Limited.

On October 6, 2008, the FTC sued "a vast international spam network that peddled prescription drugs and bogus male-enhancement products." The defendants have been identified as the "#1 worst spam gang on the Internet" by the Spamhaus.

The case against Spear Systems, Bruce Parker, and Lisa Kimsey is now over. They have settled for $29,000 and change, plus a promise to be good in the future.

That leaves this now as a case only against Xavier Ratielle and the other Canadian defendants.

Here is the First Amended Complaint in this case.

We have the addition of some new defendants: 9151-1154 Quebec (doing business as "Q Web"), 9064-9252 Quebec, HBE, and Abaragidan Gnanendran.

Xavier Ratelle, the actual spammer in this case, appears to have skipped the country. He now says that he is in Nicaragua, and claims to be returning on 31 January 2008.

I'll believe that when I see it.

=====================================
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS
EASTERN DIVISION

FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION,
Plaintiff,

v.

SPEAR SYSTEMS, INC., et al.
Defendants.

FTC'S MOTION TO EXTEND THE TIME FOR SERVICE AS TO DEFENDANT XAVIER RATELLE

This docket entry was made by the Clerk on Tuesday, January 8, 2008:

MINUTE entry before Judge David H. Coar : Motion hearing held on 1/8/2008 regarding motion for entry of default, [38. MOTION by Plaintiff Federal Trade Commission for entry of default against Defendants Sili Neutraceuticals, LLC and Brian McDaid [38] is granted − signature order to follow from movant. Prove−up default In Court hearing set for 1/23/2008 at 09:00 AM. Mailed notice

This is not really your standard, run-of-the-mill motion for entry of default. This is more of a motion for "death penalty sanctions". That is, to strike the answer and enter a default judgment as though no answer had ever been issued in the case.

Let me hasten to add that that's not precisely the request here. This is just a motion for default. There's no request to strike the answer. But, this is a form of sanctions nonetheless. The Defendants were ordered to produce certain paperwork by a given date and they refused. The penalty for that refusal is the entry of default.

Sili and McDaid apparently belong to the group that believes in "better late than never". According to the Docket, this filing was due on September 4. That would make it fifty-five days late. You might think that in that time period they might have proof-read this document, but alas, no. All spelling, numbering, and grammatical mistakes herein are also to be found in the original document.