Prince Is Suing 22 Bootleggers for $22 Million

In a 21-page lawsuit filed last week in the US District Court in San Francisco, Prince Rogers Nelson launched a massive lawsuit against 22 internet users for $1 million each.

Prince and his attorneys accuse the collective of participating in “massive infringement and bootlegging of Prince’s material.” While most of the 22 individuals are anoymous, the claim does specifically mention Dan Chodera and Karina Jindrova, who used to operate a bootlegging fansite on Facebook. The suit’s 20 anonymous users, referred to as “Does 1-20,” are leveled with similar offenses, including sharing a 1983 Chicago set via WorldofBootleg.blogspot.com.

Prince’s legal team is asking for a jury trial, though with so many plaintiffs having anonymous status, it seems unlikely. In addition to the $22 million pay-out, Prince is also seeking any profits generated from from the material, plus interest and legal fees. The users would also be banned from “engaging in any further alleged violations of Prince’s rights.”

This latest development in just a long line of anti-Internet behaviour from the Purple One. In 2010, he went and quit the Internet, explaining that computers “fill your head with numbers and that can’t be good for you.” He’s also come out against iTunes and much of the digital music revolution’s impact on how music is consumed.