Filmmaker suing torrent trackers may actually be a banned user seeking revenge, defense claims

At a court hearing attended by TorrentFreak, attorney Erin Russell, representing one of the private torrent tracker operators being sued, confirmed that at least one defendant intends to seek sanctions against the plaintiff.

The plaintiff maintains his legal name is Matthew Schneider, but the defense has raised an alternate theory about his true identity. Investigators linked the email address he used in his self-represented court filings to an account showing he was "not a stranger to private torrents," and was likely banned for selling or trading invites to private tracker communities.

Russell suggested the plaintiff is most likely a disgruntled former user of private trackers who "bears ill will" following a probable blacklisting, though she did not present evidence to support the claim.

For the trackers to succeed in getting sanctions, however, more will be required than simply proving the plaintiff isn't who he claims to be. The court needs to establish his actual identity in order to issue a judgment and determine who exactly would face sanctions — a practical hurdle Russell acknowledged is frustrating for the tracker operators involved.

Next hearing set for October 2

At the upcoming hearing, the plaintiff will apparently get one final opportunity to substantiate his claims. He will be required to appear on camera, revealing his identity to defendants for the first time, and the judge is expected to review one of his alleged films — one that shares its title with a movie made by a different person also named Schneider.

Judge Wood described the situation as "odd" when addressing defense counsel during the hearing. The plaintiff has promised to stop causing delays, send a copy of his film, and submit a sworn affidavit responding to the sanctions motion.