US officials on Tuesday indicted a Russian software programmer and his Moscow-based employer on charges of violating a controversial new US copyright law, signaling the collapse of plea bargain talks in a case that has sparked international protests.
Dmitry Sklyarov, 26, and ElcomSoft Co Ltd were named in the five-count indictment filed in San Jose federal district court, prosecutors said.
They are charged with selling and conspiracy to sell technology designed to circumvent the new US Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), which bans the sale of technology that can allow people to thwart copyright protections in computer and electronic programs.
ElcomSoft and Sklyarov, described in the indictment as a "cryptanalyst," are scheduled to be formally charged at an arraignment today.
Last week, the arraignment, scheduled in anticipation of an indictment, was postponed until this week to give both sides time to work out a deal.
"We were hopeful that the government would see the wisdom and justice in not pursuing a case against Sklyarov," defense attorney Joseph Burton said.
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