His case is proof that while Swartz attracted worldwide attention, his prosecution was by no means unique.
The authorities have shown little sign of leniency since the ship's seizure, despite an international campaign by Greenpeace to draw attention to the prosecutions and even an appeal from Italy's oil giant Eni, a partner of Gazprom, to show clemency for the crew, which includes an Italian, Cristian D'Alessandro.
Another is that the tactic is, pure and simple, an effective way to distract attention from the prosecutions of innocents.
But she lost millions on paper in her stake in Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, whose market value plunged after charges were filed and with the intense media attention on the prosecution.
Frivolous claims of innocence, Mr. Marquis said, also burn up scarce resources and distract attention from the prosecution of new crimes.
The case that has grabbed the most attention is the prosecution of Mathew Martoma, who worked as a portfolio manager at SAC Capital Advisors, the $14 billion hedge fund firm controlled by Steven A. Cohen.
Ms. Tolokonnikova's letter has refocused attention on the prosecution of the band for "hooliganism motivated by religious hatred," a charge that provoked international criticism against Russia by popular musicians and prompted Amnesty International to declare the women prisoners of conscience.
But perhaps none of Corey's cases drew as much attention as her prosecution of George Zimmerman, the Florida neighborhood watch volunteer accused of shooting 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teen. .
And though the New Delhi gang rape has brought renewed attention to sex crimes, prosecutions of those cases still move at a glacier pace.
SAC, based in Stamford, Conn., has been touched by several insider trading cases in recent years, but there is heightened attention surrounding the Martoma prosecution.
