Pirate Site Operator's Appeal Goes Bad, Court Extends Prison Term by 50%
12 days ago
- #copyright
- #legal-action
- #piracy
- Pirate site operators often survive unscathed despite anti-piracy efforts.
- NunuTV operated from 2021 to 2023, illegally streaming content with millions of monthly visitors.
- Rightsholders claimed NunuTV caused $3.7 billion in damages, leading to legal action and domain blocking.
- NunuTV used incremental domain changes (e.g., noonootv1, noonootv2) to evade blocks.
- The site shut down in 2023 due to high costs, but a successor, NunuTV Season 2, briefly emerged.
- The operator, 'Person A,' was later arrested for running TVWiki and OKToon, also linked to illegal gambling ads.
- Authorities seized $1.9 million in assets, including luxury cars and Bitcoin.
- Initially sentenced to 3 years, Person A's appeal reduced financial penalties but increased prison time to 4.5 years due to prior convictions.
- The case highlights the challenges of deterring piracy and the risks of recidivism.