US - Former copyright claimant sentenced for fraud

On November 15, 2002, Raul Galaz, former principal of Artist Collections Group d/b/a Worldwide Subsidy Group, and Worldwide Subsidy Group d/b/a Independent Producers Group, received a criminal sentence of 18 months for his conviction to one count of mail fraud for falsely claiming and receiving $328,000 in royalties due to the copyright holders of the children’s television show ‘Garfield and Friends’. Galaz is scheduled to serve his sentence in a minimum security prison in the Western District of Texas. Judge Henry Kennedy, of the US District Court for the District of Columbia, denied Galaz’ attorney’s plea for sentencing in a halfway house. Galaz was ordered to pay restitution to the Motion Picture Association of America $328,303 for the money he received, a fine of $4000 payable at no less than $500 per month, and an assessment of $100 to the clerk of the court for the District Court for the District of Columbia. After Galaz serves his sentence and is released from the custody of the Bureau of Prisons, he remains subject to three years of supervised release. Special conditions imposed upon Galaz include