📰 New article from TorrentFreak
FlavaWorks Targets 75 Members of Gay-Torrents Tracker With RICO Lawsuit
https://torrentfreak.com/flavaworks-targets-75-members-of-gay-torrents-tracker-with-rico-lawsuit/
If you thought copyright lawsuits were just about pesky cease-and-desist letters, think again. Adult entertainment giant FlavaWorks is turning up the heat, and they aren’t just playing by the standard rules—they’re bringing out the heavy artillery: RICO.
Following the shutdown of the private tracker Gay-Torrents, FlavaWorks has filed a massive federal lawsuit targeting 75 members. But here’s the twist: they aren’t just suing for copyright infringement; they are alleging a “racketeering enterprise.”
By using the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, FlavaWorks is attempting to paint the entire tracker as a criminal organization. Under this theory:
- Uploaders are viewed as “lower-rung participants” supplying the inventory.
- VIP members are labeled “funders” accused of wire fraud for using disguised payments to hide their activity.
The strategy is clever (and terrifying). By finding just one “anchor defendant” with ties to Illinois, they can potentially use RICO provisions to pursue defendants nationwide. While proving a full-blown racketeering conspiracy in court is a massive legal mountain to climb, the mere threat of treble damages and conspiracy charges is a massive wake-up call for anyone lurking in private torrent circles.