Feds Target "Mongols" Biker Club's Intellectual Property 393
couchslug writes in with a Reuters account of a Federal raid on a California-based motorcycle club, the Mongols, on charges "ranging from murder and robbery to extortion, money laundering, gun trafficking and drug dealing." The interesting twist is that the authorities are asking the courts to seize the IP of the biker club — specifically, their trademarked name "Mongols." "Federal agents and police in seven states arrested more than 60 members of the Mongols motorcycle gang on Tuesday in a sweep that also targeted for the first time an outlaw group's 'intellectual property,' prosecutors said. The arrests cap a three-year undercover investigation in which US agents posed as gang members and their girlfriends to infiltrate the group, even submitting to polygraph tests administered by the bikers ... [T]he name 'Mongols,' which appears on the gang's arm patch insignia, was trademarked by the group. The indictment seeks a court order outlawing further use of the name, which would allow any police officer 'who sees a Mongol wearing this patch ... to stop that gang member and literally take the jacket right off his back' ..."
How long... (Score:1, Funny)
...until they can do this to anyone for any reason? I think this would set a bad precedent--except for the sheer humor of witnessing a biker be stripped of his jacket by an officer for 'IP violation'.
I suspect it isn't that easy to seize the name (Score:3, Funny)
The Mongolian embassy might have something to say about it :-)
Intellectual Property? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Intellectual Property? (Score:5, Funny)
Who? The government? The bikers? BOTH!??!!?
Let's examine the strategy (Score:5, Funny)
Well, let's hypothetically accept the premise that the police and feds will be able to seize the trademark from the group as though it were originally their own. Then they could at least seek legal action against anyone who produces new jackets with the logo, on the grounds that it would infringe the police's newfound exclusive rights to use the mark to promote their own goods and services. (That's why they wanted the trademark, right? I mean, what else is a trademark good for?)
So this strategy could work, so long as the police pick up the Mongols' trademarked product line and start handing out their own Mongol-branded beatings, robberies, extortion schemes, and contraband sales. (Cue a flood of cynical responses saying that the police would merely have to rebrand their existing product line.) At the very least, they could pay lip service to IP law by selling a few Mongol coffee mugs on CafePress—maybe they could donate the proceeds to those police charities instead of bothering me with telephone solicitations.
You mean, like Charles Petzold? (Score:4, Funny)
There's no need to imagine that [wikipedia.org]
Re:If government agents can lie and beat a polygra (Score:5, Funny)
That's because government liars are professionals.
Re:Awww, man! There goes the club! (Score:5, Funny)
I'm just amazed that a criminal organization would file a legal TRADEMARK.
Seriously. Were they going to SUE someone for infringement?
Live to sue, sue to live.
Law enforcement at its silliest? (Score:4, Funny)
Agent Bob: They've committed murder and robbery to extortion, money laundering, gun trafficking and drug dealing. What are we going to do?
Agent Dan: I have just the thing that will hurt them. Let's seize their name!
Agent Bob: That's brilliant! They're thugs. We all know thugs are thick. Coming up with a new name will be hard on them. They'll spend so much time coming up with a name their crime spree will be over!
Agent Dan: That's why they pay me the big bucks. Lets go get some donuts.
Agent Bob: Don't you think donuts are a little cliche?
Agent Dan: We're not regular cops Bob. Besides we can always change their name to dough-rings.
Agent Bob: That'll confuse people...Renaming things. Brilliant. I'm in awe of your wisdom. You truly are a law enforcement agent of the times.
Re:Not how trademarks work (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Not how trademarks work (Score:4, Funny)
I'd think so, which brings to mind a way to deal with the idiocy if the government chooses to go down that road - simply make it known to the government that you're using the trademark via certified letter, and get as many people as you know to do the same, and let the cycle continue. You'd have be ready for the potential legal consequences (dilution, etc.), since there's a pretty big potential of confusion between the Feds and the Mongols, being that they're both armed gangs with a limited grasp on the concept of freedom and all.
Re:You seem to have hit the nail on the head (Score:5, Funny)
Does this mean the trademark will be auctioned off to the public like many other Federally seized assets?
If so, my knitting club is looking for a new logo. Calling ourselves the Mongols would be neat too.
Agents posed as gang members girlfriends? (Score:3, Funny)
And thus the phrase was born, "Damn that is one ugly biker chick."
Transporter_ii
Re:Bullshit (Score:3, Funny)
or a uwe boll movie...
Re:Not how trademarks work (Score:5, Funny)
Only one way to find out.
1) Make a passable replica of a major motorcycle gang's insignia.
2) Attach it to a motorcycle jacket and display it proudly in areas where the gang is known to operate.
3) Learn first-hand whether the **AA or underground motorcycle gangs are more aggressive in IP protection.
4) ???
5) Profit. (For your life-insurance beneficiaries.)
Re:Ummm... Yes. Really.... If Disney Can So Can Co (Score:5, Funny)
Deep breath. Repeat after me.
I admit that I have become powerless over my frustration with those that disagree with me, my anger issues, and my self-perceived impotence regarding my ability to communicate my opinion to the "unenlightened". I acknowledge that calling people retards and swearing will not sway them to my opinion, even if I defend it well. I will not feed the trolls.
FSM, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.
Hope that helps. Wow.
Re:You seem to have hit the nail on the head (Score:2, Funny)
It will probably be sold to RockStar so they can incorporate it into a new GTA game.
Fashion Police (Score:5, Funny)
Wouldn't this make all law enforcement officers become official Fashion Police?
Godwin aside... (Score:5, Funny)
Land of the free, home of the brave ring a bell? We imposed conditions like this on defeated
Dear gods, I find myself agreeing with Twitter. Historic moment.
Somebody hand me a fork...
Re:Not how trademarks work (Score:3, Funny)
Re:The First Amendment called, it wants itself bac (Score:2, Funny)
I suppose the swastika would be public domain by now. ;)
Big Deal (Score:2, Funny)
Change the logo unofficially to Mickey Mouse & let them have fun enforcing that.
Re:Ummm... Yes. Really.... If Disney Can So Can Co (Score:3, Funny)