A federal judge has ruled that spammer Christopher William Smith pay Internet giant AOL some US$5 million in compensation after he was found guilty of sending billions of spam emails advertising phony college degrees, generic Viagra and porn.
Smith, who went under the nickname “Rizer”, was thought to be one of the worst, most profilic spammers in the world. AOL’s Nicholas Graham called him “the poster child for the Can-Spam Act” in reference to 2004’s anti-Spam laws.
Smith’s lawyers denied the charges and cast speculation on the legitimacy of the Can-Spam Act.
