Sam Jain
Encyclopedia
Jain Shaileshkumar better known as Sam Jain, is an internet entrepreneur
and former CEO of affiliate marketing
network eFront
, who is currently a fugitive with an arrest warrant in California. In 2000, eFront submitted fraudulent data to Media Metrix, a website ranking publisher. Former President of eFront Jerry Ziegler accused Jain of deliberately falsifying affiliate data, using tactics such as submitting companies which didn't respond to his affiliate offer as affiliates with the justification that "[i]f they won't respond to me, they won't respond to anyone." In 2001 Jain was involved in a scandal when ICQ
instant messaging
logs between the him and other employees were leaked onto the internet. The logs detailed activities such as not paying websites that had hosted their banner ads
and sending legal threats to websites that spoke poorly of eFront. On April 20, 2005 he was ordered to pay $3.1 million to Symantec
for selling counterfeit
software and violating intellectual property
laws. Case Number 2:04-cv-03017-PA-Mc.
Jain additionally has a criminal case pending in California
resulting from his selling of counterfeit Symantec software. The criminal case was opened in 2008 (Case Number 5:08-cr-00197-RMW) in which the Grand Jury charges: Criminal Copyright Infringement, Wire Fraud, Trafficking in Counterfeit Goods & Mail Fraud. This case is to go to Jury trial. Jain pleaded not guilty.
Jain operated several Internet-based companies including Discount Bob, Shifting Currents Financials, Inc., Innovative Marketing, Inc., Professional Management Consulting Inc., Shopenter.com, LLC.
In December 2008, Jain was listed as a defendant in the Federal Trade Commission's case against so-called "scareware" applications such as WinFixer
. The case alleges that several companies scammed consumers into buying these applications through malware
and banner ads.
In mid-December 2008 U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett fined Innovative Marketing $8,000 for each day that it continues to sell bogus scareware
software on its website.
On January 26, 2009, a stay was removed for a bench warrant initially issued for Jain's arrest on January 12, 2009 by United States District Judge Ronald M. Whyte
. The bench warrant was entered into court records on February 11, 2009. Jain is officially a fugitive from justice in the United States.
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
and former CEO of affiliate marketing
Affiliate marketing
Affiliate marketing is a marketing practice in which a business rewards one or more affiliates for each visitor or customer brought about by the affiliate's own marketing efforts...
network eFront
Efront
eFront was an affiliate marketing network which purchased successful websites, such as Penny Arcade and BetaNews, and pooled traffic to those sites to command higher prices for advertising during an industry wide ad revenue slowdown...
, who is currently a fugitive with an arrest warrant in California. In 2000, eFront submitted fraudulent data to Media Metrix, a website ranking publisher. Former President of eFront Jerry Ziegler accused Jain of deliberately falsifying affiliate data, using tactics such as submitting companies which didn't respond to his affiliate offer as affiliates with the justification that "[i]f they won't respond to me, they won't respond to anyone." In 2001 Jain was involved in a scandal when ICQ
ICQ
ICQ is an instant messaging computer program, which was first developed and popularized by the Israeli company Mirabilis, then bought by America Online, and since April 2010 owned by Mail.ru Group. The name ICQ is a homophone for the phrase "I seek you"...
instant messaging
Instant messaging
Instant Messaging is a form of real-time direct text-based chatting communication in push mode between two or more people using personal computers or other devices, along with shared clients. The user's text is conveyed over a network, such as the Internet...
logs between the him and other employees were leaked onto the internet. The logs detailed activities such as not paying websites that had hosted their banner ads
Web banner
A web banner or banner ad is a form of advertising on the World Wide Web delivered by an ad server. This form of online advertising entails embedding an advertisement into a web page. It is intended to attract traffic to a website by linking to the website of the advertiser...
and sending legal threats to websites that spoke poorly of eFront. On April 20, 2005 he was ordered to pay $3.1 million to Symantec
Symantec
Symantec Corporation is the largest maker of security software for computers. The company is headquartered in Mountain View, California, and is a Fortune 500 company and a member of the S&P 500 stock market index.-History:...
for selling counterfeit
Counterfeit
To counterfeit means to illegally imitate something. Counterfeit products are often produced with the intent to take advantage of the superior value of the imitated product...
software and violating intellectual property
Intellectual property
Intellectual property is a term referring to a number of distinct types of creations of the mind for which a set of exclusive rights are recognized—and the corresponding fields of law...
laws. Case Number 2:04-cv-03017-PA-Mc.
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
resulting from his selling of counterfeit Symantec software. The criminal case was opened in 2008 (Case Number 5:08-cr-00197-RMW) in which the Grand Jury charges: Criminal Copyright Infringement, Wire Fraud, Trafficking in Counterfeit Goods & Mail Fraud. This case is to go to Jury trial. Jain pleaded not guilty.
Jain operated several Internet-based companies including Discount Bob, Shifting Currents Financials, Inc., Innovative Marketing, Inc., Professional Management Consulting Inc., Shopenter.com, LLC.
In December 2008, Jain was listed as a defendant in the Federal Trade Commission's case against so-called "scareware" applications such as WinFixer
WinFixer
WinFixerAlso known under various other names including: WinAntiVirusPro, ErrorSafe, SystemDoctor, WinAntiSpyware, AVSystemCare, WinAntiSpy, Windows Police Pro, Performance Optimizer, StorageProtector, PrivacyProtector, WinReanimator, DriveCleaner, WinspywareProtect, PCTurboPro, FreePCSecure,...
. The case alleges that several companies scammed consumers into buying these applications through malware
Malware
Malware, short for malicious software, consists of programming that is designed to disrupt or deny operation, gather information that leads to loss of privacy or exploitation, or gain unauthorized access to system resources, or that otherwise exhibits abusive behavior...
and banner ads.
In mid-December 2008 U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett fined Innovative Marketing $8,000 for each day that it continues to sell bogus scareware
Scareware
Scareware comprises several classes of scam software with malicious payloads, or of limited or no benefit, that are sold to consumers via certain unethical marketing practices. The selling approach uses social engineering to cause shock, anxiety, or the perception of a threat, generally directed at...
software on its website.
On January 26, 2009, a stay was removed for a bench warrant initially issued for Jain's arrest on January 12, 2009 by United States District Judge Ronald M. Whyte
Ronald M. Whyte
Ronald M. Whyte is a United States federal judge in San Jose, California.Born in Pomona, California, Whyte earned an A.B. in Mathematics from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut in 1964, and a J.D. degree from the USC Gould School of Law in Los Angeles, California in 1967.Whyte was in...
. The bench warrant was entered into court records on February 11, 2009. Jain is officially a fugitive from justice in the United States.
External links
- Original ICQ logs - Sam Jain detailing his activity
- LexisNexis Provides references to Jain Shaileskuma (aka Sam Jain)'s criminal record. Subscription required.