How a Few iTunes Purchases Helped Nab an Alleged Online Piracy Mastermind

Artem Vaulin is accused of being the mastermind behind the illegal file-sharing sites are most popular in the world, KickassTorrents, which US authorities say helped distribute more than one billion dollars of pirated movies and music.

However, despite allegedly making a living from helping people steal copyrighted material, Ukraine 30 years seems to have bought the film and music legally on iTunes - and some of these purchases Review eventually helped investigators track him down, According to the criminal complaint filed against him in federal court.

Investigators were able to use the details about iTunes purchases made in July and December last year to connect to the Vaulin KickassTorrents Facebook page thanks to the information shared with the FBI by Apple and Facebook, the complaint alleges. They also found an email about the illegal operation-filing sharing sites in the inbox of the account he allegedly used to make iTunes purchases. Even its own email address, tirm@me.com, seems tip off: "Tirm" is a pseudonym once listed as an administrator on the site hijacking.

Although most people may remember a heated legal battle with the FBI over the encryption Apple, the company routinely assist law enforcement in criminal investigations when served with subpoenas or warrants. In conflicts FBI, companies protested Since Authorities want the company to solve its own security measures built into the iPhone is used by one of the terrorists San Bernardino - a move that will affect all of the smartphone companies.

KickassTorrents, the which appears to be down after catching this Vaulin, not pirate music and film itself. But as more famous Pirate Bay, it served as a hub to link users can use to download them.

The site is very popular: About 50 million people visit every month and is ranked as the 69th most popular site on the entire Internet, According to the criminal complaint. And traffic that translates into a great advantage: Investigators estimate the site obtained between $ 12.5 million and $ 22.3 million from online advertising.

Vaulin, were arrested Wednesday in Poland, facing several criminal charges, including copyright infringement and money laundering, which could land in prison for the Decade.

Looks iTunes purchases only part of a huge trove of evidence against Vaulin found by investigators. But still there is something very ironic about media buys legal contributed to the downfall of a man accused of running an online piracy empire collapsed.