Advanced Television

Italy dismantles €10m piracy network

September 29, 2025

From Branislav Pekic in Rome

Italian authorities have dismantled a vast criminal network responsible for illicitly distributing pay-TV content and arresting eight individuals described as the “leaders of the illegal Italian streaming market”.

The operation uncovered an enterprise with over 900,000 users, estimated profits of €10 million, and damages to the audiovisual industry exceeding €30 million per month.

The investigation, a follow-up to the 2022 ‘Gotha’ cybercrime initiative, revealed an organised criminal association with key figures located both in Italy (including Catania, Rome, Syracuse, and Brescia) and abroad. This network specialised in the unauthorised distribution of copyrighted live and on-demand content from major platforms such as Sky, DAZN, Mediaset, Prime Video and Netflix. Authorities estimate the ring controlled approximately 70 per cent of Italy’s illegal streaming activity.

Those arrested face serious charges, including criminal association, unauthorised computer access, and computer fraud. They were allegedly at the top of this illicit market, managing every aspect from setting subscription costs and service suspensions to coordinating device distribution and overseeing a vast network of resellers.

The criminal enterprise employed advanced methods to conduct its illicit activities, utilising a complex technical infrastructure with foreign servers, encrypted messaging for communications, and fictitious identities and false documents to register accounts and services.

Pay-TV platforms Sky and DAZN have praised the successful operation, underscoring its significant impact on combating piracy. They emphasised that illegal streaming is not a minor offence but a deeply entrenched criminal act that causes substantial financial harm to the industry and impacts thousands of legitimate jobs annually.

Categories: Articles, Content, Piracy

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