As reported by the Department of Justice, a federal jury in Las Vegas has delivered convictions for five men involved in the operation of a major unauthorized streaming service in the United States. The service reportedly generated millions in subscription revenue while causing significant harm to copyright owners of television programs.
Court documents and evidence presented during the trial revealed that Kristopher Dallmann, Douglas Courson, Felipe Garcia, Jared Jaurequi, and Peter Huber were behind the online, subscription-based streaming service known as Jetflicks, which had been in operation since as early as 2007.
The group utilized advanced computer scripts and software to search illegal copies of television episodes from pirate websites, subsequently downloading and hosting them on Jetflicks servers. This led to the reproduction of hundreds of thousands of copyrighted television episodes, resulting in a catalog larger than that of popular streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Vudu, and Amazon Prime. The defendants profited in the millions by streaming and distributing this stolen content to tens of thousands of paid subscribers.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division expressed, "The defendants operated Jetflicks, an illicit streaming service they used to distribute hundreds of thousands of stolen television episodes. Their scheme generated millions of dollars in criminal profits, while causing copyright owners to lose out. These convictions underscore the Criminal Division’s commitment to protecting intellectual property rights by prosecuting digital piracy schemes and bringing offenders to justice."
U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada added, "The defendants conspired to operate an online streaming service that unlawfully reproduced and distributed thousands of copyrighted television programs for their own personal gain. This case is another example of our steadfast commitment to combat intellectual property theft and to hold accountable those who violate intellectual property rights laws."
The FBI Washington Field Office, with assistance from the FBI Las Vegas Field Office, investigated the case. The defendants have been convicted of conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement, with Dallmann also convicted of money laundering by concealment and misdemeanor criminal copyright infringement. Each of the defendants faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, with Dallmann potentially facing a maximum penalty of 48 years in prison. The sentencing date is yet to be determined by a federal district court judge.
Ultimately, the convictions emphasize the authorities' dedication to combating digital piracy and protecting intellectual property rights.