Category: MIL-OSI

The U.S. government executed seizure warrants against three U.S.-registered internet domains of commercial websites allegedly engaged in the illegal distribution of copyrighted works.

The coordinated law enforcement operation targeted online services that provided illegal copies of copyrighted works—many belonging to U.S. companies and individuals—including movies, television shows, video games, software, e-books, and other content.

According to the affidavits in support of the seizure warrants, the three domains receive tens of millions of visits a year, offer thousands of infringed works, and result in millions of downloads of those works, the retail value totaling millions of dollars. The three domains are among the most popular in Bulgaria—one is often ranked as one of the top 10 most visited domains in Bulgaria —and, given the huge internet traffic they receive every day, seem to make considerable money from advertisements.

The seized domains are in the custody of the United States government. Visitors to the sites will now find a seizure banner that notifies them that federal authorities have seized the domain names and that informs them that willful copyright infringement is a crime. The domain are zamunda.net, arenabg.com and zelka.org.

The Justice Department is grateful for its Bulgarian partners at the National Investigative Service, the Ministry of the Interior’s General Directorate Combating Organized Crime, the State Agency for National Security, and the Prosecutor’s Office, and its domestic partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi, the Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) New Orleans Field Office, and the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center). The Justice Department also acknowledges the critical role of Europol, the HSI Athens office, and the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Sofia office in coordinating efforts and providing technical assistance.

The Justice Department is working to provide intellectual property crime prevention training and technical assistance in other countries, including Bulgaria, through the International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property (ICHIP) program. Learn more about the Criminal Division’s ICHIP Program, jointly administered by the Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) and the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, here.

The IPR Center is one of the U.S. government’s key weapons in the fight against criminal counterfeiting and piracy. The IPR Center uses the expertise of its member agencies to share information, develop initiatives, and coordinate enforcement actions and conduct investigations related to IP theft. Through this strategic interagency partnership, the IPR Center protects the public’s health and safety, the U.S. economy and the war fighters. To report IP theft or to learn more about the IPR Center, visit www.IPRCenter.gov.

Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Baxter Kruger for the Southern District of Mississippi, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Wright of the HSI New Orleans Field Office made the announcement.

HSI is investigating the matter.

Senior Counsel Matthew A. Lamberti of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Max Meyers for the Southern District of Mississippi are handling the case. The ICHIP based in Bucharest, Romania provided significant assistance.

The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division announced today that it will require Columbus McKinnon Corporation (CMCO) to divest its power chain hoist and chains businesses and related assets to resolve antitrust concerns arising from its proposed $2.7 billion acquisition of Kito Crosby Limited (Kito Crosby) from funds managed by global investment firm KKR.

The Antitrust Division today filed a civil antitrust lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to block the proposed transaction. At the same time, the Division filed a proposed settlement that, if approved by the court, would resolve the Division’s competitive concerns.

“Today’s settlement is a structural solution to an acquisition that would have harmed competition for important equipment that facilitates the safe and efficient movement of heavy loads in a wide range of industries across the American economy,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The settlement, which includes two manufacturing facilities, will ensure that American customers and industries will continue to benefit from competition between the leading providers of this important equipment.”

As alleged in the complaint, CMCO and Kito Crosby are two of the leading manufacturers in the markets for electric chain hoists and overhead lifting chain in the United States. Electric chain hoists, a type of power chain hoist, use a chain driven by an electric motor to lift, lower, and position heavy materials. Electric chain hoists are designed to be durable and can be used independently or integrated into a small overhead crane. Industries across the economy – including automotive, aerospace, energy, construction, and logistics – rely on electric chain hoists daily to increase efficiency and reduce strain on operators. Overhead lifting chain is exclusively made from forged alloy steel and meets ASTM standards for chain strong enough to ensure safe lifting operations. CMCO and Kito Crosby compete head-to-head to develop, manufacture, distribute, and sell electric chain hoists and overhead lifting chain. Without the proposed divestiture, CMCO’s acquisition of Kito Crosby would likely result in higher prices, lower quality, and reduced innovation to the detriment of customers.

The proposed settlement requires CMCO to divest its power chain hoist business, including electric chain hoists, and its chain business, including overhead lifting chain, to Pacific Avenue Capital Partners LLC, an American company with significant experience in industrial manufacturing. Pacific Avenue Capital Partners is expected to hire certain key CMCO employees that today support the divested businesses.

CMCO is an American multinational company, with its headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina. In 2024, CMCO had revenues of approximately $1 billion.

Kito Crosby is a U.K. multinational company with its headquarters in Arlington, Texas. In 2024, Kito Crosby reported $1.1 billion in revenue.

KKR is an American multinational company with its headquarters in New York, New York.

As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed settlement, along with a competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register. Any person may submit written comments concerning the proposed settlement within 60 days following the publication to Soyoung Choe, Acting Chief, Defense, Industrials, and Aerospace Section, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street NW, Suite 8700, Washington, DC 20530 or via email at ATR.Public-Comments-Tunney-Act-MB@usdoj.gov. At the conclusion of the public comment period, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia may enter the final judgment upon finding it is in the public interest.

Note: View the Proposed Final Judgement here; the Complaint here; and the Competitive Impact Statement here.