Heidi Richards sentencing in Microsoft COA trafficking case
Law Enforcement
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A Florida woman, Heidi Richards, was sentenced to 22 months in prison for a years-long Microsoft COA trafficking scheme. The case centered on the resale of stolen Microsoft Certificate of Authenticity labels and extracted product keys that could activate Windows 10 and Microsoft Office without a legitimate license. The punishment also included a $50,000 fine, underscoring the criminal value of software-piracy infrastructure.
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02.03.2026 19:30 2 articles · 2mo ago
Heidi Richards sentenced for Microsoft COA trafficking scheme
Legal Policy Action UpdateHeidi Richards, also known as Heidi Hastings, Heidi Shaffer, and Heidi Williams, was sentenced to 22 months in prison and ordered to pay a $50,000 fine for running Trinity Software Distribution in a years-long scheme that trafficked thousands of stolen Microsoft Certificate of Authenticity (COA) labels and sold extracted Microsoft license keys in bulk.
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- Florida woman imprisoned for massive Microsoft license fraud scheme — www.bleepingcomputer.com — 02.03.2026 19:30
- Florida woman imprisoned for massive Microsoft license fraud scheme — www.bleepingcomputer.com — 02.03.2026 19:30