U.S. Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Investigation
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U.S. Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigation |
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| In Reply, Please Refer to Release No. |
211 West Roosevelt Road Chicago, Illinois 60608 (312) 829 - 1199 |
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September 8, 2006 Robert D. Grant, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), announced today the arrest of NAVNEET CHAN BHOWNATH, age 30, a citizen of South Africa who was residing at 521 W. Briar Place, Chicago, Illinois by FBI Special Agents. BHOWNATH was arrested yesterday, without incident, at his residence. BHOWNATH was charged in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Salt Lake City, Utah. The complaint accused BHOWNATH of illegally selling copyright-protected software through his website, snapdiscount.com. Specifically, BHOWNATH is accused of selling "burned copies" of an educational software product known as "EyeQ" via the web. The EyeQ software is the property of Infinite Mind, a company based in Salt Lake City where the criminal charges were filed. The Thursday morning arrest culminated a six-month FBI investigation into BHOWNATH's alleged software pirating activities, which involved purchases of the EyeQ software from snapdiscount.com by undercover FBI agents. Following his arrest, BHOWNATH appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sidney I. Schenkier where he was ordered held without bond pending his removal to Salt Lake City to face the criminal charges. He remains in U.S. custody while awaiting his transport to Utah. The public is reminded that a criminal complaint is not evidence of guilt and that all defendants in a criminal case are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. EDITOR'S NOTE: A copy of the complaint filed against BHOWNATH is available from the Chicago FBI Press Office: 312-829-1199
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