CIS Internet Services Receives $236 Million AntiSpam Judgment Against Henry Perez And Suzanne Bartok Husband and Wife Team F



Robert W. Kramer, III, owner and operator of CIS Internet Services, has received a 236 million dollar judgment against two individual defendants, Henry Perez and Suzanne Bartok following trial for violation of Iowa's anti-spam statute. The verdict was entered on September 30, 2008 in the United States District Court, Southern District of Iowa, Davenport Division, by Judge John A. Jarvey.

Mr. Kramer was represented by Cedar Rapids attorney, Matthew L. Preston, with the Brady & O'Shea, P.C. law firm.

The Court found that husband and wife Perez and Bartok sent over 23 million emails advertising mortgage loan refinancing services to CIS computers in 2003.

This judgment is unique in that corporate officers Perez and Bartok were held personally liable and not protected by the limited liability of their corporation. The Court found that: "While Bartok may not have been the 'person' hitting the 'send' button to create the spam e-mail, she was half owner of a business whose sole source of income was predicated on illegal spamming."

Kramer said, "I'm very pleased with this substantial ruling. I hope it sends the appropriate message that spamming will not be tolerated. There will likely always be spammers and spam, but this ruling makes it clear they risk an economic death penalty and exposure to public ridicule."

Prior to this judgment, CIS and Robert W. Kramer III had won substantial awards from other email spammers.

CIS started in 1996 as a dial-up ISP serving customers in Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois -- from Dubuque to Keokuk. CIS offered the first Web connection in dozens of communities. Today CIS provides high-speed DSL, wireless broadband, T1 replacements, digital dial-up and virtual Web hosting. CIS is the only high-speed service available to many rural homes and businesses in Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois. CIS is based in Clinton, IA.





CIS Internet Services Receives $236 Million AntiSpam Judgment Against Henry Perez And Suzanne Bartok Husband and Wife Team F