Long Island man charged in software scam

ISLIP (WABC) -- Prosecutors confiscated thousands of dollars worth of counterfeit software, from Microsoft to Adobe to Rosetta Stone.

Investigators say 29 year old Justin Perez set up his own website under the name The Violent Squirrel and sold the goods to customers at a deep discounts.

According to the Nassau District Attorney's office, Perez would sell a 900 dollar software program for 250 dollars. The product looked authentic, but when customers got the software home the quality was anything but.

When the programs did not work as expected, customers sent them back to the manufacturers, including Microsoft and Adobe.

In fact, Microsoft launched its own investigation and handed over the bogus cds to the D-A's office.

From the web, they located Perez who was allegedly operating out of his parents basement in Islip.

Prosecutors say Perez made more than $200,000 in the last two years and had $50,000 worth of counterfeit software in his home.

Perez faces trademark counterfeiting and scheming to defraud charges that could land him in prison for 15 years if convicted.

He was arraigned Friday and is due back in court Oct. 25.

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long island, arrest, crime, scams, computer, local news, lauren defranco

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