Joel Tenenbaum was ordered by a jury to pay the fine to the Recording Industry Association of America. He appealed, calling the $22,000-per-song penalty unconstitutionally excessive.
The First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston thought the huge fine was in order, though.
"Tenenbaum carried on his activities for years in spite of numerous warnings, he made thousands of songs available illegally, and he denied responsibility," the First Circuit ruled.
Federal
But when he appealed his decision, Tenenbaum felt he only owed the record companies $450 in total, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
The court said Tenenbaum's logic ignored the "deterrent effect of statutory damages," according to the Reporter. In other words, Circuit Judge Jeffrey Howard wanted to make an example of him, showing future