Billions in Bitcoins - Trial over Streaming Portal Begins - Germany's €2.64 Billion Bitcoin Seizure Goes to Trial in Historic Piracy Case
A landmark trial begins this week in Leipzig, focusing on one of the largest illegal streaming operations in history. The case involves two defendants accused of running movie2k.to, a site that distributed pirated films and TV shows for years. Authorities seized nearly 50,000 Bitcoins—worth around €2.64 billion—during the investigation, marking Germany's biggest cryptocurrency confiscation to date.
The streaming platform movie2k.to operated for years before its shutdown in 2013. It hosted hundreds of thousands of pirated films and series, raking in millions through advertising. Investigators later discovered that the profits had been funnelled into real estate and Bitcoin, amassing a fortune in cryptocurrency.
The case took a major turn in late 2019 when two men, including the site's programmer, were arrested. Both confessed fully and assisted authorities in tracking down the platform's second main operator, who remains at large. Meanwhile, the alleged ringleader was captured abroad in 2023 and now faces trial for money laundering and incitement to false accusation. A second defendant is charged with money laundering and tax evasion.
In summer 2024, Saxon authorities sold the seized Bitcoins in small batches over four weeks. The €2.64 billion generated from the sales was deposited into a state justice treasury account. However, the funds still legally belong to the defendants until a verdict is reached.
The Leipzig Regional Court has scheduled eleven hearing days through mid-May to examine the evidence. The economic crimes division will decide whether the assets can be permanently confiscated if the main defendant is convicted.
The trial centres on the illegal streaming operation's vast profits and the fate of the seized Bitcoin fortune. If convicted, the defendants could lose control of the €2.64 billion, which would then be transferred to the state. The court's ruling will determine the final outcome of the case and the distribution of the funds.
