weisbrot
12-15-06, 15:44
http://www.redherring.com/Article.aspx?a=20193&hed=Sex+and+a+Shooting
Sex and a Shooting
Sordid sex.com saga turns violent with Mexican assassination attempt.
December 12, 2006
The long sordid saga of sex.com took a sobering turn last week after the Mexican lawyer of the man who stole the highly trafficked Internet domain was attacked in a gangland-style assassination attempt.
The shooting came one day after Stephen Cohen, the man who fast-talked his way into control of sex.com in 1995, was ordered released from jail so he could round up $65 million he owes Gary Kremen, the programmer turned Internet entrepreneur who sued to recover control of the domain name he registered in 1994.
The lawyer who was attacked, Gustavo Cortés Carvajal, is believed to be the only person with access to some of Mr. Cohen’s assets in Mexico, including a Tijuana property the two men jointly own.
He was unhurt after gunmen in Tijuana fired numerous rounds at the vehicle in which he was traveling, but the driver and a four-year-old boy were injured in the attack.
Mr. Cohen’s whereabouts remain unknown and he has not been tied to the shooting, but Mr. Kremen on Monday would not rule out that possibility.
He said several people helping him recover assets from Mr. Cohen over the past several years have received threatening letters and phone calls that authorities traced back to Mr. Cortés. A lawyer for Mr. Kremen added that the timing was so coincidental that it was problematic.
“I am concerned for my safety,” Mr. Kremen said late Monday.
The attempted murder is the latest twist in an ongoing saga dating back more than 11 years when Mr. Cohen, a career criminal with a long record, smooth-talked an employee at Network Solutions, acquired by the domain registry group VeriSign in 2000 and spun off three years later, into giving him control of sex.com.
Mr. Kremen, who also founded the Internet dating site Match.com, eventually fought back in court and won a 2001 ruling that ordered Mr. Cohen to give up control of sex.com and pay up to $65 million in compensation and punitive damages.
Amnesia in Jail
Mr. Cohen instead fled to Mexico, where he was believed to have remained as a fugitive until 2005 when he was arrested, returned to the United States, and jailed on civil contempt.
The U.S. judge hoped jail time would persuade Mr. Cohen to divulge the location of his assets. Mr. Kremen had by that point managed to get his hands on several of Mr. Cohen’s properties, including a $4-million San Diego area mansion.
Mr. Kremen’s legal team also identified banks linked to Mr. Cohen in Latvia, Luxembourg, the Isle of Man, Mexico, Vanuatu, and the British Virgin Islands, but lawyers were unable to recover any funds.
Mr. Cohen, however, refused to buckle while in jail, insisting that he could not remember the names and numbers of the bank accounts where he stashed his money. He also argued he could provide a better accounting of his assets if he were released so he could review his financial records in person.
The judge let him go on December 5 and ordered him to return to court in San Jose on February 26.
Many, however, doubt the former fugitive will show up for his date with the judge.
“At best, he has not even paid off the interest on the judgment,” said Tim Dillon, an attorney representing Mr. Kremer.
Mr. Kremen, who has spent more than $5 million to recover sex.com and track down Mr. Cohen’s assets, is starting to become more philosophical about the case. He has already sold sex.com for a rumored $14 million and reached an undisclosed settlement with VeriSign.
Money at this point isn’t so much of an issue, which is just as well because Mr. Kremen is less than certain he will ever recover additional assets from Mr. Cohen.
“I’ve come to the conclusion in the last couple of months that it is not going to happen. I’ve kind of let go,” he said.
Sex and a Shooting
Sordid sex.com saga turns violent with Mexican assassination attempt.
December 12, 2006
The long sordid saga of sex.com took a sobering turn last week after the Mexican lawyer of the man who stole the highly trafficked Internet domain was attacked in a gangland-style assassination attempt.
The shooting came one day after Stephen Cohen, the man who fast-talked his way into control of sex.com in 1995, was ordered released from jail so he could round up $65 million he owes Gary Kremen, the programmer turned Internet entrepreneur who sued to recover control of the domain name he registered in 1994.
The lawyer who was attacked, Gustavo Cortés Carvajal, is believed to be the only person with access to some of Mr. Cohen’s assets in Mexico, including a Tijuana property the two men jointly own.
He was unhurt after gunmen in Tijuana fired numerous rounds at the vehicle in which he was traveling, but the driver and a four-year-old boy were injured in the attack.
Mr. Cohen’s whereabouts remain unknown and he has not been tied to the shooting, but Mr. Kremen on Monday would not rule out that possibility.
He said several people helping him recover assets from Mr. Cohen over the past several years have received threatening letters and phone calls that authorities traced back to Mr. Cortés. A lawyer for Mr. Kremen added that the timing was so coincidental that it was problematic.
“I am concerned for my safety,” Mr. Kremen said late Monday.
The attempted murder is the latest twist in an ongoing saga dating back more than 11 years when Mr. Cohen, a career criminal with a long record, smooth-talked an employee at Network Solutions, acquired by the domain registry group VeriSign in 2000 and spun off three years later, into giving him control of sex.com.
Mr. Kremen, who also founded the Internet dating site Match.com, eventually fought back in court and won a 2001 ruling that ordered Mr. Cohen to give up control of sex.com and pay up to $65 million in compensation and punitive damages.
Amnesia in Jail
Mr. Cohen instead fled to Mexico, where he was believed to have remained as a fugitive until 2005 when he was arrested, returned to the United States, and jailed on civil contempt.
The U.S. judge hoped jail time would persuade Mr. Cohen to divulge the location of his assets. Mr. Kremen had by that point managed to get his hands on several of Mr. Cohen’s properties, including a $4-million San Diego area mansion.
Mr. Kremen’s legal team also identified banks linked to Mr. Cohen in Latvia, Luxembourg, the Isle of Man, Mexico, Vanuatu, and the British Virgin Islands, but lawyers were unable to recover any funds.
Mr. Cohen, however, refused to buckle while in jail, insisting that he could not remember the names and numbers of the bank accounts where he stashed his money. He also argued he could provide a better accounting of his assets if he were released so he could review his financial records in person.
The judge let him go on December 5 and ordered him to return to court in San Jose on February 26.
Many, however, doubt the former fugitive will show up for his date with the judge.
“At best, he has not even paid off the interest on the judgment,” said Tim Dillon, an attorney representing Mr. Kremer.
Mr. Kremen, who has spent more than $5 million to recover sex.com and track down Mr. Cohen’s assets, is starting to become more philosophical about the case. He has already sold sex.com for a rumored $14 million and reached an undisclosed settlement with VeriSign.
Money at this point isn’t so much of an issue, which is just as well because Mr. Kremen is less than certain he will ever recover additional assets from Mr. Cohen.
“I’ve come to the conclusion in the last couple of months that it is not going to happen. I’ve kind of let go,” he said.