Feds shut down spam ring for good | CNET News.com
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In a deal with the Federal Trade Commission and the state of California, the people behind a prolific spam operation have agreed to pay $475,000 and refrain from illegal activity.

The deal, which does not include an admission of any wrongdoing, was reached with Optin Global, Vision Media, Qing Kuang “Rick” Yang and Peonie Pui Ting Chen, the FTC said in a statement Thursday.

The defendants violated federal and state laws by sending millions of junk e-mail messages hawking mortgage loans and other products and services, the FTC charged. Consumers forwarded nearly 2 million of the messages to the agency.

The spam operation netted the defendants $2.4 million, the FTC said. As part of the settlement, they’re required to hand over all those gains, but most of the money is gone. So they must pay $385,000 in cash and approximately $90,000 from the sale of property.