A judge immediately sentenced him to 18 months in a federal prison for his unique con that nearly bankrupted a small computer-parts maker in Fremont.
Agents think there are more victims who are afraid to come forward.
FBI agents have advertised in local newspapers, asking victims to contact them. Yen was successful because he tapped into a unique type of paranoia in Silicon Valley, especially among the smaller computer companies, investigators say. Businesses can sell unknowingly Industry experts estimate that half the products assembled by small and mid-size computer manufacturers contain pirated software. Well-meaning business owners can sell computers containing the illegally copied goods without even knowing it, the experts say. Being named in a lawsuit, or investigated by the FBI, can mean the end of any small company trying to feed off Silicon Valley's lucrative trough.