Could a simple 4 hour theft class administered early in childhood have kept someone from stealing $100 million? How could you steal anything that valuable?

Chinese national Xiang Li pled guilty to pirating, cracking, and selling software worth more than $100 million today, after being lured to U.S. territory and arrested in an undercover sting. As reported in news.cnet.com.

Which nefarious branch of our government do you think was responsible for catching the software pirate?

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security took him down in June 2011 after agents discovered that he was heading a pirating ring that sold stolen software on the Web. The software was mostly used by defense, space, and engineering companies and was made by Microsoft, Oracle, Rockwell Automation, Agilent Technologies, Siemens, and others.

Li stole the software from about 200 U.S. manufacturers and sold it in 61 different countries on Web sites he owned, like crack99.com. he made a lot of money very fast. He operated from 2008 to 2011. Prosecutors say that the retail value of what Li stole totaled more than $100 million, although he sold it for far less.

In order to catch Li, U.S. agents worked undercover for 18 months buying thousands of dollars of software from him. In 2011, agents nabbed Li by getting him to travel to the island of Saipan, which is a U.S. territory near Guam, under the premise of a joint illegal business venture.

Li faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a $500,000 fine. It is not the fine that has him worried to be sure.

Could a stop theft class have made a difference? I welcome your opinion.