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Prenda Law's Steele sentenced to 5 years in prison for role in $3M shakedown scheme vs online porn downloaders

By Cook County Record | Wednesday, Jul 10, 2019 @ 1:36pm

A former Chicago lawyer, one of the principals at Prenda Law and one of the masterminds behind a scheme to secure millions of dollars in settlements as part of a shakedown scheme targeted at those downloading online porn, has been sentenced to five years in prison.
Prenda Law's Hansmeier sentenced to 14 years for shakedown scheme targeting porn downloaders

By Cook County Record | Monday, Jun 17, 2019 @ 4:48pm

Paul Hansmeier, one of two Prenda lawyers behind a scheme to use lawsuit threats to allegedly shakedown downloaders of online porn, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison.
Steele pleads guilty to conspiracy charges stemming from Prenda Law internet porn shakedowns

By Cook County Record | Tuesday, Mar 7, 2017 @ 2:22pm

John L. Steele, an indicted Chicago lawyer who served as one of the principals at Prenda Law, has pleaded guilty to federal charges stemming from his role in an alleged shakedown scheme allegedly designed to entrap and extract millions of dollars in settlements from those accused of illegally downloading internet porn.