WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Chamber of Commerce Global Intellectual Property Center (GIPC) Executive Vice President Mark Elliot issued the following statement applauding this week’s U.S. Department of Justice actions involving the arrest of the owner of one of the world’s largest illegal file sharing sites, KickAssTorrents (KAT):

“We applaud the Department of Justice for its enforcement action against one of the world’s most frequently visited illegal file sharing websites, and for the arrest of Artem Vaulin. The distribution of millions of copies of copyrighted motion pictures, video games, television programs, musical recordings, and other electronic media comes at the expense of American consumers and businesses. These cybercrimes not only impact creators, consumers, and companies, but also result in the loss of American jobs.

“The action taken by law enforcement here and abroad sends a strong signal to those who engage in cybercrime and the theft of copyrighted works, and we thank all involved in this investigation.

“In addition to the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security, we especially thank the Polish Border Guard and National Public Prosecutor’s Office for their apprehension of Mr. Vaulin in Poland, where he will now face extradition to the United States.

“We also commend the investigators and attorneys involved in this investigation, including those at Homeland Security Investigations, the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center), U.S. Attorneys in the Northern District of Illinois, and International Organized Crime Intelligence and Operations Center, along with many others.

“We look forward to continued collaboration with our partners in law enforcement and a just resolution to this important case.”