Recently I submitted a DMCA to Google to have a competitor's URL removed from the index as it was using content from my site without my consent. The DMCA I submitted was successful in getting references to that content removed from Google's index. The Google search team executed the delisting swiftly and for this I remain eternally grateful
The next step was to inform the Adsense team about the offending content, as the offending page carrying the content also carried Adsense ads next to my stolen content. Again, it would seem that I was successful, as the ads were also removed within days. The unauthorised content however, remains on display.
What irks me is that this plagiarising publisher is still displaying Adsense ads on other pages on his/her site and gets to keep their Adsense account even though Google considers this publisher to be a content thief and currently using stolen content.
From my perspective at least: It would appear that if you steal content you can get to keep your Adsense account, as long as your ads are not displayed on the pages displaying the unauthorised content. If one was to believe the banning anecdotes circulating in forums, one might well hold the notion that Adsense publishers have been banned without question for lesser violations.