A Bavarian couple, Sergej M. (68) and Valentina M. (70), are on trial in Landshut, Germany, accused of a massive piracy operation that allegedly cost Sky Deutschland over €4.4 million. The couple, an electromechanic and a shop assistant, respectively, are charged with serious joint computer fraud in 4,611 cases.
Between 2014 and 2019, they allegedly sold modified Octagon satellite receivers, dubbed “Russian receivers,” from their electronics shop. These devices allowed customers to access Sky’s full pay-TV offering without valid subscriptions. Prosecutors claim they sold 1,755 of these devices for €250 each, generating over €500,000, and charged €50 for software updates. This resulted in customers saving approximately €79.99 per month in subscription fees, leading to significant losses for Sky.
A Sky spokesperson stated to BILD, “Sky takes piracy very seriously. We systematically analyse illegal offers and regularly initiate criminal proceedings against illegal providers. We also file criminal charges ourselves against users.” While declining to quantify annual losses, Sky noted a significant increase in investigations in recent years.
According to Süddeutsche Zeitung, the receivers provided access not only to Sky’s content but also to services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Magenta Sport, and foreign channels, with customers paying extra for this extended access. The devices reportedly tapped into a card-sharing server in the Netherlands to decrypt Sky’s codes. At the trial’s opening, the defendants remained silent, though exploratory talks suggest a potential plea bargain in exchange for a confession. The court has scheduled 26 further hearing days with numerous witnesses scheduled to testify.