Two operators of the illegal movie streaming site, movie2k.to, have been nabbed with Bitcoin worth $30 million by the General Prosecutor’s Office in Dresden, Germany. The arrest follows a conclusive investigation by a joint task force between the renowned American FBI office and the German police. They are said to have obtained the crypto fraudulently by pirating and streaming over 880,000 illegal films.
Illegal movie site operators to face the law
They were charged by the authorities with the crimes of running an illegal streaming website from 2013 to 2018 that violates copyright laws. One of them,a programmer is said to be in police custody since November 2019.
The two cybercriminals are said to have acquired commercial properties and cryptocurrencies using the illicit proceeds from the movie site . Viewers who accessed the I website have been allowed to watch any movie available. They have reportedly made the profits on the controversial site by charging subscription as well as advertisement fees.
Authorities seized all the BTC involved in the illicit venture
The site ‘s creator allegedly earned more than 22,000 BTC from the illegal venture. They then used the Bitcoin they obtained to purchase various commercial properties through an unidentified real estate firm in Germany. The owner of the site is also accused of involvement in money laundering through the real estate links that he has ventured in the capital of Germany, Berlin. Reportedly, the Joint Task Force traced and identified the Bitcoin and connected the transactions to the perpetrators.
After the arrest, the authorities confiscated all Bitcoin found in connection with the movie site. It is therefore essential to note that the Bitcoin was willingly surrendered to the authorities as a sign of cooperation with the investigations. Arrested in connection with the illegal website, the programmer confessed to all charges levied against him. In addition, he is aiding security agencies with investigations to find his other partner who is reportedly running away from the law.