Five Years Later, U.S. Returns Music Site After Shut Down

The blog OnSmash was among music sites shut down in 2010, accused of copyright infringement and selling counterfeit goods. But a few weeks ago, after lobbying the government for its return and paying a $7 fee, Kevin Hofman — a rank-and-file record label employee who ran OnSmash, first as a hobby and later as a full-time job — finally got it back, with little explanation and without ever being formally charged with any wrongdoing.