Jetflicks Illegal Paid Streaming Service Operators Jailed for 7 Years

Five Nevada men, including a German citizen, received prison sentences of up to 84 months for operating Jetflicks, one of the largest illegal television streaming services in United States history. 

The defendants generated millions in criminal profits by distributing copyrighted content through sophisticated automated systems that bypassed legitimate licensing agreements, causing an estimated $37.5 million in damages to copyright holders.

Key Takeaways
1. Five men jailed up to 7 years for operating massive illegal streaming service Jetflicks.
2. The service offered 183,000 pirated TV episodes.
3. Generated millions illegally; caused $37.5 million in copyright damages.

Jetflicks Illegal Streaming Operation

Jetflicks operated through advanced automated software and computer scripts that continuously scoured pirated content sites worldwide, downloading, processing, and storing illegal television episodes on servers located in the United States and Canada. 

The technical architecture allowed the service to offer 183,285 different television episodes—significantly more than Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, or any other licensed streaming platform. 

The defendants designed the system to work across multiple device types, platforms, and software applications, often delivering episodes to subscribers within 24 hours of their original broadcast.

The operation utilized subscription-based revenue models combined with distributed server infrastructure to serve tens of thousands of paid subscribers throughout the United States. 

Each defendant fulfilled specialized technical roles including computer programming, coding, website design, application development, customer interface design, and content acquisition systems. 

The automated scripts ran continuously, creating a pipeline that processed pirated content and made it immediately available for streaming and downloading.

Lead defendant Kristopher Lee Dallmann received the maximum sentence of 84 months in prison, along with convictions for criminal copyright infringement by distribution, public performance, and money laundering. 

The remaining sentences varied: Peter H. Huber received 18 months imprisonment; Jared Edward Jaurequi received time served plus home confinement and community service; while Felipe Garcia and Douglas M. Courson received probation terms with brief incarceration periods.

This case represents the largest internet piracy prosecution ever brought to trial, measured by total infringement amount and number of violations. 

Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti emphasized that the scheme “hurt thousands of U.S. companies and individuals who owned the copyrights to these shows but never received a penny in compensation”. 

The sentences demonstrate federal commitment to protecting intellectual property rights in the digital age, with FBI Assistant Director Jose A. Perez noting that such operations “undermine the integrity of our economy and the rule of law”.

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