May 21, 2019
Los Angeles – Working with Interpol and the Uruguay national police, the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (“ACE”) secured a significant win on behalf of global content creators with the closure of illegal streaming service Pelispedia.tv and its associated websites. The action resulted in the arrest of the operators and the seizure of multiple assets. Targeted to the Spanish language market, Pelispedia.tv and its websites had an estimated 44 million monthly visits.
“We thank Interpol, the Uruguayan police, and prosecutors for their leadership in this important action against a major illegal streaming service operator,” said Richard VanOrnum, ACE spokesperson. “ACE and its members are proud of our ongoing cooperation with law enforcement around the world, which has halted many piracy operations that harm creators.”
As part of this effort, computers, hard drives, and servers were recovered, which will further contribute to global enforcement initiatives against illegal streaming and piracy operations.
“The closure of Pelispedia.tv is another example of ACE’s successful and ongoing global effort to reduce piracy,” said Charles Rivkin, Chairman and CEO of the MPAA. “Each time we collaborate with law enforcement authorities to disrupt major piracy operations likes Pelispedia.tv, we support the millions of people around the world working in the film and television industry and the dynamic legal marketplace for creative content.”
According to the Office of the United States Trade Representative, Pelispedia.tv had over 50,000 links to more than 8,000 movie and television series titles that had allegedly been illegally reproduced. The Spanish-language website had connections and audiences across Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Spain, and Venezuela and was monetized through international advertisements.
The case is being prosecuted by the Fiscalía Letrada de Montevideo de Estupefacientes de Primero Turno, and the procedure was executed by the Departamento de Investigación de Delitos Especiales, the Departamento de Delitos Informáticos de la Dirección de Lucha contra el Crimen Organizado, and Interpol, with forensics support from the Laboratorio de Análisis Informatico de La Dirección Nacional de Policía Cientifica.
About ACE
The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (“ACE”) is a global coalition dedicated to protecting the dynamic legal market and reducing online piracy. The worldwide members of ACE are Amazon, AMC Networks, BBC Worldwide, Bell Canada and Bell Media, Canal+ Group, CBS Corporation, Channel 5, Constantin Film, Discovery, Foxtel, Grupo Globo, HBO, Hulu, Lionsgate, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Millennium Media, NBC Universal, Netflix, Paramount Pictures, SF Studios, Sky, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Star India, Studio Babelsberg, STX Entertainment, Telefe, Telemundo, Televisa, Univision Communications Inc., Village Roadshow, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
