A federal jury in Las Vegas has convicted five men involved in operating Jetflicks, one of the largest illegal streaming services in the United States. Jetflicks, which ran from 2007 to 2019 before being shut down by the FBI, offered a vast library of pirated content, including over 10,500 movies and 183,000 TV episodes. This extensive catalog was stolen from legitimate streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime, and made available to tens of thousands of paying subscribers.
The convicted individuals, Kristopher Dallmann, Douglas Courson, Felipe Garcia, Jared Jaurequi, and Peter Huber, were found guilty of conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement. Dallmann faces additional charges of money laundering for his efforts to hide the proceeds from Jetflicks. The potential sentences for the group range from up to five years in prison, while Dallmann could face up to 48 years due to the extra charges.
Jetflicks’ operation was highly lucrative, generating millions of dollars in illegal gains and causing significant financial harm to copyright holders. The platform’s scale and impact were noted by the U.S. Department of Justice, highlighting how it amassed a catalog larger than combined collections of major streaming services.
Sentencing for the convicted men will be determined by a federal district court judge at a later date. The case underscores ongoing efforts to combat large-scale copyright infringement and illegal streaming activities.
Reference: