What to do the Spice Girls, Boyz II Men, Sheryl Crow, Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston have in common with each other?
They’ve all been ripped off by Rio Grande City resident Gustave Guerra, according to a copyright infringement lawsuit several major players in the recording industry filed in U.S. District Court on Tuesday.
Arista Records LLC, Motown Record Co. LP, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, UMG Recordings Inc., and Virgin Records America Inc. are claiming Guerra used an “online media distribution system” to illegally download and distribute copyrighted recordings.
Guerra could not be reached for comment at a phone number corresponding to his address, and federal court records indicate he doesn’t have legal counsel, but cyber-liberties advocates question the recording industry’s wisdom in trying to control access to its music through such lawsuits.
