Universal Autosports Charged for Spying on Ferrari-Selling Rival | FerrariChat

Universal Autosports Charged for Spying on Ferrari-Selling Rival

Discussion in 'Ferrari Discussion (not model specific)' started by henryr, Apr 22, 2009.

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  1. henryr

    henryr Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Juan Sánchez Villa-L
    #1 henryr, Apr 22, 2009
    Aston Martin Dealer Charged for Spying on Ferrari-Selling Rival
    2009-04-22 15:36:17.616 GMT


    By Thom Weidlich
    April 22 (Bloomberg) -- The owners of a Long Island, New
    York, exotic car dealership that sells Bentleys and Aston
    Martins were charged with corporate espionage against a rival
    that sells Ferraris and Maseratis.
    Giacomo Ciaccia and Leka Vuksanaj, owners of Universal
    Autosports LLC in Glen Cove, were arrested along with Creative
    Director Michael Lussos at their homes today, according to a
    statement by Acting U.S. Attorney Lev Dassin in Manhattan. They
    are accused of illegally tapping into the e-mails of Ferrari
    Maserati of Fort Lauderdale-Long Island in Plainview, New York.
    The defendants accessed Ferrari Maserati’s e-mail server
    about 2,500 times between February and September last year from
    their homes or Universal Autosports, according to the criminal
    complaint unsealed today.
    “In one instance a dealer associated with Universal
    Autosports e-mailed a customer who had been negotiating with
    Ferrari Maserati to buy a rare Ferrari Enzo worth more than
    $1.3 million in an effort to ‘help or get in the middle’ of the
    deal,” according to the statement.
    “The complaint is just allegations about using the
    computer,” Ciaccia’s lawyer, Ronald Fischetti of Manhattan,
    said in a phone interview. “Of the substance, I have no idea
    yet. I’m sure he’ll be released on bail.”
    Lawyers for Vuksanaj and Lussos couldn’t be immediately
    reached. The three defendants are scheduled to appear in court
    today.
    The case is U.S. v. Ciaccia, 09-mag-963, U.S. District
    Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan).

    For Related News and Information:
    For Related News and Information: TNI CRIME AUT <GO>
    Legal functions: BLAW <GO>
    For top legal stories: TLAW <GO>

    --Editors: Steve Farr, David E. Rovella
     
  2. kosmo

    kosmo Formula 3

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    #2 kosmo, Apr 22, 2009
    I say hang'em all. Start w/ the "creative director" Lusso.
    Creative director my A$$ !
     
  3. amenasce

    amenasce Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #3 amenasce, Apr 22, 2009
    Universal is a Sponsor here...Is this true ?
     
  4. lotustt

    lotustt Formula 3

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    #4 lotustt, Apr 22, 2009
    Ugh....eek
     
  5. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
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    #5 rob lay, Apr 22, 2009
  6. TexasMike

    TexasMike F1 World Champ

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    #6 TexasMike, Apr 22, 2009
    +1!!! Then maybe they will stop spamming me all the time.
    I've always wondered how they got my email address. Maybe they also tapped into the Ferrari Market Letter's server and retrieved their mailing list.
     
  7. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
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    #7 rob lay, Apr 22, 2009
    Just FYI before it gets started I want to remind all users that I am the only one with access to all emails and I would never give them out. When Ricambi wants to sent a Title Sponsor Email out Daniel sends me the text and I send it for him. Now if you correspond with a sponsor and they save your email, then I have no control over that.
     
  8. TexasMike

    TexasMike F1 World Champ

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    #8 TexasMike, Apr 22, 2009
    Oh don't worry Rob, I have an idea of where it started and it wasn't FChat. I made the mistake of giving it to someone who eventually went to work for Gerald... ;)
     
  9. balenciaga

    balenciaga Formula Junior

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    #9 balenciaga, Apr 22, 2009
    maybe its not true, lets not pass any judgment until we know all the facts
     
  10. davidbealGT4

    davidbealGT4 Karting
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    #10 davidbealGT4, Apr 22, 2009
    Just my opinion.

    I remember when they first came on the scenes (UAS). I looked at their website (UAS).
    First thing that came to mind was it had wording and pictures very similar to somebody else's website. I found that "not too cool".

    Just my opinion.
     
  11. SSNISTR

    SSNISTR F1 Veteran

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    #11 SSNISTR, Apr 22, 2009
    I'm on the FoLI mailing list, all of a sudden I was getting mail from Universal. They are in FoLI's old building to I assumed that had something to do with it. If I recall Lusso WORKED for FoLI. I am pretty sure that is who the contact was on my old FoLI emails....
     
  12. jm3

    jm3 F1 Rookie

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    #12 jm3, Apr 22, 2009
    Mr Lussos doesn't sound like a very creative director........
     
  13. Barrister

    Barrister Formula Junior

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    #13 Barrister, Apr 22, 2009
    I know a guy who works at Universal! Great guy and posts here often. I hope he isn't involved.
     
  14. Ricambi America

    Ricambi America F1 World Champ
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    #14 Ricambi America, Apr 22, 2009
    One more note on this subject before the thread gets out-of-hand... our Sponsor emails do go directly to Rob. I have no access to the list of Fchatters. We have another system that sends promotional email and it clearly allows "opt-in" and "opt-out" functionality for anyone who gets the mail. That system is completely unrelated to Fchat and based on our active customer lists.
     
  15. Sfumato

    Sfumato F1 World Champ

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    #15 Sfumato, Apr 22, 2009
    Used Karma Dealers.
     
  16. AustinMartin

    AustinMartin F1 Veteran

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    #16 AustinMartin, Apr 22, 2009
    Rob, how is this gonna effect UAS's sponsorship on here?
     
  17. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
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    #17 rob lay, Apr 22, 2009
    For right now this thread is open to public discussion at your own liability. Post news reports and discuss if you wish. I will speak to my UA contact, which is not one of these 3, and update everyone. Best might be to just suspend Sponsorship for now, but then again if none of that is true then they don't deserve any negative impact. That point might have already been crossed though and if down the road they are proven innocent then I imagine there will be a major countersuit for that negative impact.
     
  18. Sfumato

    Sfumato F1 World Champ

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    #18 Sfumato, Apr 22, 2009
    If there are worries about liability, probably should move the thread to subscribed and or lock it. But then again, maybe I'm diverting ;)
     
  19. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
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    #19 rob lay, Apr 22, 2009
    nothing needs to hide, users can talk about it, but users also take liability for what they say although in 9 years of FerrariChat.com and almost 5 M posts there hasn't been a single user sued and you have seen some of the stuff posted.
     
  20. LennyZeutzius

    LennyZeutzius Karting
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    #20 LennyZeutzius, Apr 23, 2009
    Yikes!

    Usually when the U.S. Attorney is after you, you gots BIG problems.

    Not good. Not good.
     
  21. Fred2

    Fred2 F1 World Champ
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    #21 Fred2, Apr 23, 2009
    How would moving it to Subscribed limit liability?
     
  22. Napolis

    Napolis Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #22 Napolis, Apr 23, 2009
    Do keep in mind the Duke Lacrosse Players, Senator Stevens, and those on Death row who were proven by DNA testing to be totally innocent.

    As the FBI clearly pointed out:

    "The charges and allegations contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty."
     
  23. balenciaga

    balenciaga Formula Junior

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    #23 balenciaga, Apr 23, 2009
    Exactly. Everyone should not jump the gun. I have dealt with universal many times and they were nothing but professional. We should at least give them the benefit of the doubt until this is all said and done.


     
  24. SrfCity

    SrfCity F1 World Champ

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    #24 SrfCity, Apr 23, 2009
    With seized puters and cyber forensics it's pretty much certain there were some shenanigans going on. These guy's have left a trail of bread crumbs and their only hope is wiggling out of things with some sharpy attorneys.
     
  25. f1_nix

    f1_nix Formula 3
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    #25 f1_nix, Apr 23, 2009
    No it is not certain. There have been alleged shenanigans. The seizures and cyber forensics are necessary to prove or disprove the supposed wrongdoing. If the evidence proves the charges they will be convicted. Give the legal system time to work properly. I don't know any of the parties involved but both sides deserve a fair shake, not a public lynching.
     
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