October 29, 2023 at 08:00PM
Austrian police have arrested 20 people involved in an illegal IPTV network that decrypted copyright-protected broadcasts and distributed them to customers. The investigation started in Germany and uncovered a criminal enterprise comprising 80 Turkish citizens. The network operated through suppliers and resellers, with customers being reached primarily via word of mouth. The arrested individuals possessed luxury items and engaged in illegal investments. The remaining members of the group are in Germany but have not faced legal action yet.
Key Takeaways from Meeting Notes:
1. The Austrian police have arrested 20 individuals across the country in relation to an illegal IPTV network.
2. The criminal enterprise consisted of 80 Turkish citizens and operated from 2016 to 2023.
3. The network decrypted copyright-protected broadcasts and redistributed them to thousands of customers.
4. The piracy ring had a hierarchical structure, with suppliers decrypting and supplying TV signals, and resellers buying access to the signal and reselling it to customers.
5. The operation primarily relied on word of mouth to reach customers, with many customers becoming resellers themselves.
6. The police identified 15 resellers and three suppliers in Austria, with each reseller having between 300 and 2,500 customers.
7. The arrests were made in several locations across Austria, and significant assets were seized during the operation, including money, servers, a luxury car, and computer systems.
8. The main perpetrators had a lavish lifestyle, owning real estate, sports cars, and multiple companies, clubs, and private societies.
9. The arrested individuals have pleaded guilty to commercial fraud, money laundering, the Access Control Act, and provisions of the Copyright Act.
10. The remaining members of the crime group are located in Germany, where the center of the illegal operations was located, and civil proceedings have not yet begun there.