# Paul Hansmeier (Prenda Law) sentenced to 14 years in prison **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 16, 2019, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-hansmeier-prenda-law-sentenced-to-14-years-in-prison/835602 "2019-06-16T12:06:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2019, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-hansmeier-prenda-law-sentenced-to-14-years-in-prison/835602/1 "2019-06-16T12:06:54Z")
> **[Porn trolling mastermind Paul Hansmeier gets 14 years in prison](https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/06/porn-trolling-mastermind-paul-hansmeier-gets-14-years-in-prison/)** > > Judge blasts Hansmeier for "almost incalculable" harms to justice. Quick summary. Prenda Law would sue people for pirating porn. They would settle for just less than a trial would cost. > [@ARS](#): > > Prenda Law that was filing lawsuits against people for sharing pornographic films online. Prenda wasn’t the only law firm filing these kinds of lawsuits, but Prenda came up with a novel way of ginning up more business: uploading the films itself, including some that were produced by Prenda associates. Various misdeeds are detailed in the link, or here: [Prenda Law - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prenda_Law) Well, Hansmeier final gets what is coming from him. 😃 Brian ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2019, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-hansmeier-prenda-law-sentenced-to-14-years-in-prison/835602/2 "2019-07-10T15:29:09Z")
And now his partner John Steele gets 5 years (reduced sentance for cooperating) > **[Prenda Law porn-troll saga ends with prison for founder](https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/07/prenda-law-porn-troll-saga-ends-with-prison-for-founder/)** > > Disbarred former lawyer John Steele said he made "stupid decisions." Brian ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2019, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-hansmeier-prenda-law-sentenced-to-14-years-in-prison/835602/3 "2019-07-10T17:27:26Z")
Couldn’t have happened to a nicer bunch. This case has dragged on for _years_ and IIRC one of the principals has kicked the bucket. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2019, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-hansmeier-prenda-law-sentenced-to-14-years-in-prison/835602/4 "2019-07-10T21:58:01Z")
The person I feel sorry for is Ken White. This was just a juicy story to write about, with houses of lies built upon foundations of lies, lawyers acting badly and judges getting furious. There’s just no way that any follow-up endeavors could ever match it. I mean,where else could you find such depraved indifference to the facts and utter disregard for morality? [Where, I ask?](https://www.kcrw.com/news/shows/lrc-presents-all-the-presidents-lawyers) ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2019, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-hansmeier-prenda-law-sentenced-to-14-years-in-prison/835602/5 "2019-07-10T23:57:37Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > The person I feel sorry for is Ken White. This was just a juicy story to write about, with houses of lies built upon foundations of lies, lawyers acting badly and judges getting furious. There’s just no way that any follow-up endeavors could ever match it. I mean,where else could you find such depraved indifference to the facts and utter disregard for morality? [Where, I ask?](https://www.kcrw.com/news/shows/lrc-presents-all-the-presidents-lawyers) It’s kind of sad. Although I do listen to his podcast, Ken hasn’t updated his blog since March and hasn’t had Prenda news to report since [March 2017](https://www.popehat.com/2017/03/06/prenda-saga-update-john-steele-pleads-guilty-admits-entire-scheme/), when Steele plead guilty. I miss that. I may have to re-read some of the old posts. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2019, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-hansmeier-prenda-law-sentenced-to-14-years-in-prison/835602/6 "2019-07-11T00:25:29Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > It’s kind of sad. Although I do listen to his podcast, Ken hasn’t updated his blog since March and hasn’t had Prenda news to report since [March 2017](https://www.popehat.com/2017/03/06/prenda-saga-update-john-steele-pleads-guilty-admits-entire-scheme/), when Steele plead guilty. I miss that. > > I may have to re-read some of the old posts. Um. I was joking? All the President’s Lawyers has far more material to work with than Prenda ever gave him. The blog has largely gone by the wayside because he’s been busy with other stuff - a couple podcasts (besides ATPL, he does Make No Law), columns for The Atlantic, and rumour has it actual legal work for paying clients, too. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2019, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-hansmeier-prenda-law-sentenced-to-14-years-in-prison/835602/7 "2019-07-11T01:08:02Z")
Aye but I miss reading Popehat. At least Lowering The Bar is still active!