FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Todd Hallidy
Phone: (302) 577-8314
Date: December 7, 2001
 

SUSPICIOUS COMPACT DISCS REMOVED FROM RETAILER
 

(Wilmington, DE) -- Delaware Attorney General M. Jane Brady today announced that special investigators from the Consumer Protection Unit of the Department of Justice impounded 284 suspected "bootleg", counterfeit, and pirated recordings from Jeremiah's , a local retailer of compact discs and other recordings, located at 246 Philadelphia Pike, Wilmington. The impoundment, obtained under Superior Court order was part of a Civil Investigative Demand that officials served at Jeremiah's today, authorizing them to hold any compact discs or DVDs suspected to be "bootleg", counterfeit or pirate recordings. The Court order was based upon evidence obtained by special investigators through undercover operations. This evidence indicated that Jeremiah's was selling unauthorized recordings to the public.

Investigators went through the extensive retail inventory at Jeremiah's today and impounded the illegal and unauthorized recordings. These included illegal copies of commercial CDs and DVDs, illegal recordings (of live events, for example), and suspected stolen recordings.

Consumers, retailers who refrain from selling such illegal recordings, and recording artists are harmed by this conduct. Under the Consumer Fraud Protection Act, potential penalties could include up to $10,000.00 in fines for each violation. The investigation is continuing. Any consumers who believe they may have been sold counterfeit or bootleg products from Jeremiah's may contact the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Unit, toll-free at (800) 220-5424 or (302) 577-8600.

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