Eddie Davidson
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Edward Davidson (July 29, 1972 – July 24, 2008), also known as "Fast Eddie" and "the Spam King," was an American spammer who from July 5, 2002, through April 15, 2007, conducted a
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business using the name Power Promoters. The primary nature of Davidson's business consisted of providing promotional services for companies by sending large volumes of unsolicited commercial electronic messages ("
spamming Spamming is the use of messaging systems to send multiple unsolicited messages (spam) to large numbers of recipients for the purpose of commercial advertising, non-commercial proselytizing, or any prohibited purpose (especially phishing), or si ...
"). The spamming was designed to promote the visibility and sale of products offered by various companies. Davidson utilized the services and assistance of other individuals whom he hired as "sub-contractors" to provide spamming at his direction on behalf of his client companies. born in Lakewood Ohio on July 29 1972.


Spamming operations

Throughout 2002 through the middle of 2005, Davidson's spamming activities were provided on behalf of companies to promote watches, perfume, and other items. Beginning in the middle of 2005 through 2006, Davidson sent spam on behalf of a
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company for purposes of promoting the sale of the company's stock. The company generated its income through selling low-value stock on behalf of small companies on the public market. Davidson, aided by several sub-spammers, sent hundreds of thousands of unsolicited e-mail messages touting the penny stock as an excellent investment to potential purchasers throughout the United States and the world. Davidson possessed hundreds of thousands of e-mail addresses, which he and his sub-spammers would use to send e-mail messages. Such e-mail messages contained false header information, which concealed the actual sender from the recipient of the e-mail. Davidson provided spammed messages for approximately 19 companies. Davidson operated his spamming activities from his personal residence in
Bennett, Colorado Bennett is a statutory town located in Adams and Arapahoe counties, Colorado, United States. The town population was 2,862 at the 2020 United States census with 2,443 residing in Adams County and 419 residing in Arapahoe County. History Benne ...
, where he had a large network of computers and servers, which facilitated his business.


Court proceedings

Davidson was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 5, 2007, for violating the CAN SPAM Act. He pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court before Judge Marcia S. Krieger on December 3, 2007. On April 28, 2008, Davidson was sentenced by Krieger to serve 21 months in federal prison. Judge Krieger also ordered him to pay $714,139 in restitution to the
Internal Revenue Service The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the revenue service for the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government, which is responsible for collecting Taxation in the United States, U.S. federal taxes and administerin ...
(IRS). As part of the restitution, Davis agreed to forfeit property, including
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s, which he purchased with the proceeds of his activities. At the time of sentencing Judge Krieger ordered Davidson to report to a facility designated by the
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on May 27, 2008. This case was investigated by the
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(FBI) Denver field office, and the IRS Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Neff prosecuted the case.


Incarceration

Davidson was assigned Inmate Number 35082-013 and housed in a minimum-security part of the Florence Federal Correctional Complex in Florence, Colorado.


Escape and death

Davidson walked away from a federal prison camp in Florence on July 20, 2008. He was subsequently found dead in
Arapahoe County, Colorado Arapahoe County ( ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 655,070, making it the third-most populous county in Colorado. The county seat is Littleton, Colorado, L ...
, on the morning of July 24, 2008, after killing his wife and three-year-old daughter who was strapped to a car seat, in an apparent
murder–suicide A murder–suicide is an act where an individual intentionally kills one or more people before killing themselves. The combination of murder and suicide can take various forms: * Suicide after or during murder inflicted on others ** Suicide af ...
.Fugitive spammer dies in murder-suicide
''
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'', July 24, 2008. His 16-year-old daughter was also shot, but survived, while his 7-month-old son remained unharmed.


See also

*
List of spammers This is a list of individuals and organizations noteworthy for engaging in bulk electronic spamming, either on their own behalf or on behalf of others. It is not a list of all spammersonly those whose actions have attracted substantial independent ...


References


Sources


External links


Spam King Escapes Federal Prison
" '' North County Gazette''. Wednesday 23 July 2008. {{DEFAULTSORT:Davidson, Edward 1972 births 2008 deaths 21st-century American murderers American cybercriminals American escapees American murderers of children Email spammers Escapees from United States federal government detention Familicides in the United States Fugitives Murder–suicides in Colorado People from Arapahoe County, Colorado Suicides by firearm in Colorado