Trio Indicted For Stealing Cable TV Shows, Then Selling Them
by Alex Lloyd Gross
It is illegal to take television shows and stream them over the internet. The product is copyrighted and in many instances, the shows are proprietary product of specific networks, to entice people to pay for the programing. Those networks frown upon those that would distribute those shows outside their network, especially if the people are charging for the services.
That is exactly what the FBI said happened with three males, one of who lives in New Jersey.
Bill Omar Carrasquillo of Swedesboro NJ is charged with: one count of conspiracy; one count of violating the Digital Millenium Copyright Act; one count of reproduction of a protected work; 19 counts of public performance of a protected work; four counts of access device fraud; six counts of wire fraud; three counts of making false statements to a bank; nineteen counts of money laundering; two counts of making false statements to law enforcement officers; two counts of removal of property to prevent seizure; and four counts of tax evasion.
In total and if convicted, Mr. Carrasquillo faces a maximum possible sentence of 514 years in prison, as well as supervised release, fines, restitution, and asset forfeiture.
Jesse Gonzales , from Pico Rivera CA is charged with: one count of conspiracy; one count of violating the Digital Millenium Copyright Act; one count of reproduction of a protected work; 19 counts of public performance of a protected work; four counts of access device fraud; five counts of wire fraud; two counts of making false statements to a bank; and one count of money laundering.
In total and if convicted, Mr. Gonzales faces a maximum possible sentence of 244 years in prison, as well as supervised release, fines, restitution, and and asset forfeiture.
Michael Barone from Richmond Hill NY is charged with: one count of conspiracy; one count of violating the Digital Millenium Copyright Act; two counts of access device fraud; and five counts of wire fraud.In total and if convicted, Mr. Barone faces a maximum possible sentence of 130 years in prison, as well as supervised release, fines, restitution, and asset forfeiture.
The three operated a large scale internet protocol television theft scheme, authorities said. They opened fraudulent cable TV accounts and then sold that content to their own subscribers for playback or download. This went on from 2016 until 2019. When Cariquillo was visited by federl agents, he tried to hide his assetts and allegedly lied to them about ownership, in an attempt to keep them. His assets include high end cars and real estate..
Carrisquillo is from Swedesboro NJ.