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FBI breaks up pair of movie piracy rings

The FBI broke up two movie piracy rings Wednesday that authorities said specialized in sneaking digital camcorders into theaters and shooting hit films, then duplicating and distributing millions of bootlegs worldwide.

Agents arrested 13 people in raids across New York City who had been operating since 1999, officials said. Industry officials believe they were responsible for nearly half of all illicit recordings made in the U.S.

Some of the DVD knockoffs included the FBI warning seen at the start of legitimate discs - "no small irony," Mark Mershon, head of the FBI's New York office, said at a news conference.

Using computer file-sharing networks, the suspects distributed the counterfeit films to Pakistan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia and other countries, said Michael Robinson, an official for the Motion Picture Association of America.

Disney names successor for nonexecutive chairman

Former Procter & Gamble chairman and chief executive John E. Pepper Jr. will become nonexecutive chairman of the Walt Disney Co. in January, succeeding former U.S. Sen. George J. Mitchell, the entertainment company said.

Pepper, 67, was named to the Disney board last December at the same time Mitchell, 72, was asked to remain as chairman until a successor could be found. Mitchell had planned to retire last year.

The announcement ends speculation that Disney's newest board member, Apple Computer Inc. CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs, would succeed Mitchell.

Jobs is Disney's largest shareholder. He joined the board this year after Disney bought Pixar Animation Studios, which Jobs headed.

Delphi creditors seek right to sue GM for costs

Delphi Corp. creditors are seeking the right to sue General Motors Corp. to retrieve billions of dollars in costs they said were transferred to Delphi when it was spun off in 1999.

In papers filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Manhattan on Tuesday, Delphi's creditors blamed the spinoff for much of Delphi's current financial troubles. Delphi has made the same contention in court papers, but the creditors said it has lately shown signs of wanting to let GM off the hook.

Under the circumstances, Delphi's creditors committee asked a judge to authorize it to pursue GM on Delphi's behalf. A GM spokeswoman, Toni Simonetti, declined to comment on the committee's request Wednesday.

[Last modified June 29, 2006, 06:50:41]