Cyberpolice blocked the operation of an illegal online cinema with a multi-million audience
The basis of earnings was advertising placed on the service, as well as payment for a premium account. According to preliminary data, the profit of the defendant amounted to more than 15 million hryvnias. Currently, the operation of the pirate online cinema is blocked.
Intellectual property violations were exposed by employees of the Cyber Police Department together with the Main Investigation Department of the National Police.
The 36-year-old Lviv resident created an online cinema app and later managed it. The man provided access to the viewing of films despite the lack of permissions of the rights holders, whose representatives are the Ukrainian Anti-Piracy Association.
The audience of premium users of the application was more than a million people. The subscription to the premium account was 80 hryvnia. Also, the man received monthly about 100 thousand hryvnias from advertising, which was placed on his online resource.
Law enforcement officials have established that the application is one of the largest pirated online cinemas of the Russian-speaking segment of the Internet. According to preliminary data, the profit of the attacker amounted to more than 15 million hryvnias.
At the place of residence of the accused, law enforcement officers conducted sanctioned searches. During their implementation, the equipment that was used to organize the technical infrastructure was removed.
According to this fact, criminal proceedings were opened under Part 3 of Art. 176 (Violation of copyright and related rights) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The defendant faces up to 6 years in prison. The issue of declaring the man a suspect is currently being resolved. Investigative actions continue.
Procedural guidance is carried out by the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine.
Cyber Police Department of the National Police of Ukraine
