Perhaps of interest as well -- I've not read through it yet myself, as it just came out today: Film Piracy, Organized Crime, and Terrorism http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/2009/RAND_MG742.pdf From the abstract: "This report presents the findings of research into the involvement of organized crime and terrorist groups in counterfeiting a wide range of products, from watches to automobile parts, from pharmaceuticals to computer software. It presents detailed case studies from around the globe in one area of counterfeiting, film piracy, to illustrate the broader problem of criminal—and perhaps terrorist—groups finding a new and not-much-discussed way of funding their nefarious activities. Although there is less evidence of involvement by terrorists, piracy is high in payoff and low in risk for both groups, often taking place under the radar of law enforcement. The study was made possible by a grant from the Motion Picture Association (MPA). However, the views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the MPA. To be sure, the MPA, like other industries afflicted by counterfeiting, has powerful interests in the assessments presented in this report. Those evident stakes required that the authors be especially careful in exam- ining evidence and framing conclusions. The research was conducted and the findings validated independently under the joint auspices of the Center for Global Risk and Security, part of the RAND Corpora- tion’s National Security Research Division, and the Safety and Justice Program in RAND Infrastructure, Safety, and Environment. " -rick Disclosure: I despise the **AA and their controversial practicies, policies, and beliefs for many reasons.