http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-5497211.html

ISP wins $1 billion in spam suit

By CNET
News.com Staff, CNET News.com

Published on ZDNet News: December
19, 2004, 6:45 PM PT

An Internet service provider in Iowa
has been awarded more than $1 billion in what is believed to be the largest
lawsuit judgment ever against spammers.

Robert Kramer, who owns CIS Internet
Services, sued 300 spammers after his servers received up to 10 million spam
e-mails a day in 2000, according to court documents.

"It's definitely a victory for all of
us that open up our e-mail and find lewd and malicious and fraudulent e-mail in
our boxes every day," Kramer told the Quad-City Times in Davenport.

U.S. District Judge Charles R. Wolle ordered AMP Dollar Savings of Mesa, Ariz., to pay
$720 million and Cash Link Systems of Miami to pay $360 million. Wolle orderd also ordered
Florida-based TEI Marketing Group to pay $140,000.

Kelly
Wallace, Kramer's attorney, is not optimistic about collecting the judgment,
which was made possible by an Iowa law that allows plaintiffs to claim damages
of $10 per spam message.

"We hope to recover at least his
costs," Wallace said.

Wallace said he has only heard of judgments
up to $25 million in spam-related cases.