Chinese Counterfeiters Get 6 1/2 Years in Jail

The alleged ringleaders of a Chinese counterfeiting gang that sold at least $2 billion worth of bogus Microsoft software were sentenced to prison terms of up to 6 1/2 years, in what is believed to be the harshest penalties yet under China's tightened piracy laws. The punishments meted out against the 11 defendants, and announced by the software company, could help China improve its image as a country that doesn't crack down hard enough on copyright violators, though technology and entertainment industries still say China has a long way to go.

  • Read the article: The Washington Post