I guess that when the spammer’s customers feel ripped off, the government finally starts to pay attention.  At least that’s the impression I’m getting from the Washington Post article on the arrest of long-time spammer Robert Soloway.  Buried in the article is the following information:

Prosecutors allege Soloway’s company, Newport Internet Marketing, defrauded its customers in offering to send a high volume of legitimate e-mail marketing messages or to sell software that could be used in mass mailings. Neither approach performed as advertised but generated a torrent of spam. …

The scheme went far beyond a deceptive sales pitch, according to prosecutors, who say Soloway used fraudulent Internet practices to drum up customers for his business and then used them to send more spam.

So his customers are claiming they didn’t know they hired a spammer.  We thought we were sending legitimate e-mails about our discounted counterfeit body-enhancing medications Mister Policeman.  We had no idea these were, what did you call it, spam?  Nice to see that the spawn of hell are turning on each other, even if it’s only until they find a new tool.  I wonder if Soloway will be nice enough to turn the tables back and help shut down some of his clients.