Italy Busts Illegal TV Streaming Hubs Ahead of 2026 World Cup Piracy Crackdown
Major Piracy Operation Uncovered in Southern Italy
Details of the Police Operation
ROME, June 12 (Reuters) - Italy's finance police said on Friday it uncovered three illegal broadband TV distribution hubs in Crotone, in the southern Calabria region, and reported four suspects, seizing assets worth about €650,000 ($751,900).
Context: 2026 FIFA World Cup and Anti-Piracy Efforts
Authorities said the sting was part of efforts to fight digital piracy ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in United States, Canada and Mexico, which opened on Thursday and for which the Italian national team failed to qualify.
How the Illegal Network Operated
Pirated Subscription Sales
• The network sold pirated subscriptions, giving access to paid content from platforms including Sky, DAZN, Netflix and Disney+.
Pricing and Services
• The illegal subscriptions cost between €10 and €40, including customer services.
Financial Flows and User Identification
• Investigators identified at least 2,769 users, with illegal proceeds reinvested into the legal economy and cryptocurrencies to conceal their origin.
Legal Consequences for Suspects and Users
• The four suspects, all Italian nationals, were reported for copyright violations and self-laundering.
• Users face administrative fines ranging from €154 to €5,000, police said.
Additional Information
($1 = 0.8645 euros)
(Reporting by Giulia Segreti in Rome, editing by Alvise Armellini)
