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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT MICHIGAN

MALIBU MEDIA, LLC, )

)

Plaintiff, ) Civil Case No. 2:14-cv-12409-GCS-MKM

)

v. )

)

MICHAEL BRAUN, )

)

Defendant. )

)

COMPLAINT-ACTION FOR DAMAGES FOR

PROPERTY RIGHTS INFRINGEMENT

Plaintiff, Malibu Media, LLC, sues Defendant, Michael Braun, and alleges:

Introduction

1. This matter arises under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, as amended, 17

U.S.C. §§ 101 et seq. (the “Copyright Act”).

2. Defendant is a persistent online infringer of Plaintiff’s copyrights. Indeed,

Defendant’s IP address as set forth on Exhibit A was used to illegally distribute each of the

copyrighted movies set forth on Exhibit B.

3. Plaintiff is the registered owner of the copyrights set forth on Exhibit B (the

“Copyrights-in-Suit”).

Jurisdiction And Venue

4. This Court has subject matter jurisdiction over this action pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §

1331 (federal question); and 28 U.S.C. § 1338 (patents, copyrights, trademarks and unfair

competition).

5. Plaintiff used proven IP address geolocation technology which has consistently

worked in similar cases to ensure that the Defendant’s acts of copyright infringement occurred

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using an Internet Protocol address (“IP address”) traced to a physical address located within this

District, and therefore this Court has personal jurisdiction over the Defendant because (i)

Defendant committed the tortious conduct alleged in this Complaint in this State, and (ii)

Defendant resides in this State and/or (iii) Defendant has engaged in substantial and not isolated

business activity in this State.

6. Based upon experience filing over 1,000 cases the geolocation technology used by

Plaintiff has proven to be accurate to the District level in over 99% of the cases.

7. Venue is proper in this District pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1391(b) and (c), because:

(i) a substantial part of the events or omissions giving rise to the claims occurred in this District;

and, (ii) the Defendant resides (and therefore can be found) in this District and resides in this

State; additionally, venue is proper in this District pursuant 28 U.S.C. § 1400(a) (venue for

copyright cases) because Defendant or Defendant’s agent resides or may be found in this

District.

Parties

8. Plaintiff, Malibu Media, LLC, (d/b/a “X-Art.com”) is a limited liability company

organized and existing under the laws of the State of California and has its principal place of

business located at 409 W. Olympic Blvd., Suite 501, Los Angeles, CA, 90015.

9. Defendant, Michael Braun, is an individual residing at 3737 Briar Pkwy. Ann

Arbor, MI 48108-5905.

Factual Background

I. Defendant Used the BitTorrent File Distribution Network To Infringe Plaintiff’s

Copyrights

10. The BitTorrent file distribution network (“BitTorrent”) is one of the most

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common peer-to-peer file sharing systems used for distributing large amounts of data, including,

but not limited to, digital movie files.

11. BitTorrent’s popularity stems from the ability of users to directly interact with

each other in order to distribute a large file without creating a heavy load on any individual

source computer and/or network. The methodology of BitTorrent allows users to interact directly

with each other, thus avoiding the need for intermediary host websites which are subject to

DMCA take down notices and potential regulatory enforcement actions.

12. In order to distribute a large file, the BitTorrent protocol breaks a file into many

small pieces called bits. Users then exchange these small bits among each other instead of

attempting to distribute a much larger digital file.

13. After the infringer receives all of the bits of a digital media file, the infringer’s

BitTorrent client software reassembles the bits so that the file may be opened and utilized.

14. Each bit of a BitTorrent file is assigned a unique cryptographic hash value.

15. The cryptographic hash value of the bit (“bit hash”) acts as that bit’s unique

digital fingerprint. Every digital file has one single possible cryptographic hash value correlating

to it. The BitTorrent protocol utilizes cryptographic hash values to ensure each bit is properly

routed amongst BitTorrent users as they engage in file sharing.

16. The entirety of the digital media file also has a unique cryptographic hash value

(“file hash”), which acts as a digital fingerprint identifying the digital media file (e.g. a movie).

Once infringers complete downloading all bits which comprise a digital media file, the

BitTorrent software uses the file hash to determine that the file is complete and accurate.

17. Plaintiff’s investigator, IPP International UG, established a direct TCP/IP

connection with the Defendant’s IP address as set forth on Exhibit A.

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18. IPP International UG downloaded from Defendant one or more bits of each of the

digital movie files identified by the file hashes on Exhibit A.

19. Defendant downloaded, copied, and distributed a complete copy of Plaintiff’s

movies without authorization as enumerated on Exhibit A.

20. Each of the cryptographic file hashes as set forth on Exhibit A correlates to a

copyrighted movie owned by Plaintiff as identified on Exhibit B.

21. IPP International UG downloaded from Defendant one of more bits of each file

hash listed on Exhibit A. IPP International UG further downloaded a full copy of each file hash

from the BitTorrent file distribution network and confirmed through independent calculation that

the file hash matched what is listed on Exhibit A. IPP International UG then verified that the

digital media file correlating to each file hash listed on Exhibit A contained a copy of a movie

which is identical (or alternatively, strikingly similar or substantially similar) to the movie

associated with that file hash on Exhibit A. At no time did IPP International UG upload

Plaintiff's copyrighted content to any other BitTorrent user.

22. IPP International UG connected, over a course of time, with Defendant’s IP

address for each hash value as listed on Exhibit A. The most recent TCP/IP connection between

IPP and the Defendant's IP address for each file hash value listed on Exhibit A is included within

the column labeled Hit Date UTC. UTC refers to Universal Time which is utilized for air traffic

control as well as for computer forensic purposes.

23. An overview of the Copyrights-in-Suit, including each hit date, date of first

publication, registration date, and registration number issued by the United States Copyright

Office is set forth on Exhibit B.

24. IPP’s software also logged Defendant’s IP address being used to distribute third

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party files through BitTorrent. This evidence indicates that Defendant engaged in BitTorrent

transactions associated with 262 files between 08/30/2012 and 05/29/2014. Collectively, this

evidence is referred as the “Additional Evidence”.

25. Plaintiff has the Additional Evidence on a document and can produce it.

26. The Additional Evidence demonstrates that Defendant is a persistent BitTorrent

user.

27. Many of the titles to the third party works may also be relevant to proving

Defendant is the infringer because they correlate to the Defendant’s hobbies, profession, or other

interests.

Miscellaneous

28. All conditions precedent to bringing this action have occurred or been waived.

29. Plaintiff has retained counsel and is obligated to pay said counsel a reasonable fee

for its services.

COUNT I

Direct Infringement Against Defendant

30. The allegations contained in paragraphs 1-29 are hereby re-alleged as if fully set

forth herein.

31. Plaintiff is the owner of the Copyrights-in-Suit, as outlined in Exhibit B, each of

which covers an original work of authorship.

32. By using BitTorrent, Defendant copied and distributed the constituent elements of

each of the original works covered by the Copyrights-in-Suit.

33. Plaintiff did not authorize, permit or consent to Defendant’s distribution of its

works.

34. As a result of the foregoing, Defendant violated Plaintiff’s exclusive right to:

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(A) Reproduce the works in copies, in violation of 17 U.S.C. §§ 106(1) and 501;

(B) Redistribute copies of the works to the public by sale or other transfer of

ownership, or by rental, lease or lending, in violation of 17 U.S.C. §§ 106(3) and 501;

(C) Perform the copyrighted works, in violation of 17 U.S.C. §§ 106(4) and 501, by

showing the works’ images in any sequence and/or by making the sounds accompanying the

works audible and transmitting said performance of the works, by means of a device or process,

to members of the public capable of receiving the display (as set forth in 17 U.S.C. § 101’s

definitions of “perform” and “publically” perform); and

(D) Display the copyrighted works, in violation of 17 U.S.C. §§ 106(5) and 501, by

showing individual images of the works nonsequentially and transmitting said display of the

works by means of a device or process to members of the public capable of receiving the display

(as set forth in 17 U.S.C. § 101’s definition of “publically” display).

35. Defendant’s infringements were committed “willfully” within the meaning of 17

U.S.C. § 504(c)(2).

WHEREFORE, Plaintiff respectfully requests that the Court:

(A) Permanently enjoin Defendant and all other persons who are in active concert or

participation with Defendant from continuing to infringe Plaintiff’s copyrighted works;

(B) Order that Defendant delete and permanently remove the digital media files

relating to Plaintiff’s works from each of the computers under Defendant’s possession, custody

or control;

(C) Order that Defendant delete and permanently remove the infringing copies of the

works Defendant has on computers under Defendant’s possession, custody or control;

(D) Award Plaintiff statutory damages per infringed Work pursuant to 17 U.S.C. §

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504-(a) and (c);

(E) Award Plaintiff its reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs pursuant to 17 U.S.C. §

505; and

(F) Grant Plaintiff any other and further relief this Court deems just and proper.

DEMAND FOR A JURY TRIAL

Plaintiff hereby demands a trial by jury on all issues so triable.

Respectfully submitted,

NICOLETTI LAW, PLC

By: /s/ Paul J. Nicoletti

Paul J. Nicoletti, Esq. (P-44419)

33717 Woodward Ave, #433

Birmingham, MI 48009

Tel: (248) 203-7800

E-Fax: (248) 928-7051

Email: pauljnicoletti@gmail.com

Attorneys for Plaintiff

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