Italian authorities have dismantled a piracy ecosystem centered around the CINEMAGOAL app that provided access to various streaming platforms, including Netflix, Disney+, and Spotify.
Unlike typical IPTV service providers that openly market themselves online and expose their operations, CINEMAGOAL's approach was stealthier, as it used an app that customers installed on their devices.
During the large-scale anti-piracy operation called “Tutto Chiaro” (All Clear), Italian law enforcement conducted 100 searches across the country and seized materials that could help investigators identify involved individuals, as well as determine the amount of illegal profits.
According to Guardia di Finanza, the law enforcement agency operating under the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the operators of CINEMAGOAL likely made millions of euros from audiovisual piracy, unauthorized computer access, and computer fraud.
The CINEMAGOAL app connected directly to the legitimate streaming platforms and authenticated using valid decryption codes fetched from foreign servers.
