Chile’s Investigative Police (PDI) and The Eastern High-Complexity Prosecutor’s Office dismantled a criminal network under investigation for illegally retransmitting television signals over the internet and subsequently moving the proceeds.
Sixteen people were arrested during raids in the Metropolitan Region and La AraucanÃa. Authorities seized four luxury cars and a light aircraft and froze 150 bank accounts across 11 banks. The operation allegedly generated approximately US$4 million through subscriptions to illegal platforms such as UltraIPTV and MegaIPTV.
Although the investigation suggested that the network had been operating since 2019, preliminary information indicates that between June 2021 and July 2022 alone, both platforms recorded transactions exceeding 900 million Chilean pesos, equivalent to more than US$1.26 million.
Among those arrested is the main suspect, accused of stealing legally distributed content and retransmitting it through private servers to sell it as subscription television packages.
The legal action is part of cases initiated by the Alliance Against Audiovisual Piracy (Alianza contra la PiraterÃa Audiovisual), with strategic support from Mercado Libre and legal representation in Chile by the law firm Contreras Velozo, before the Public Prosecutor’s Office, for serious violations of Intellectual Property Law No. 17,336 and money laundering under Law No. 19,913.
“We are dealing with illegal platforms that steal these signals, commercialize them and generate profits. Because they had not formally registered their business activities, those involved will face formal charges for various offenses, including violations of intellectual property and telecommunications laws, unlawful association depending on when the acts were committed, money laundering and tax offenses..
This group stole and decoded video signals and then sold them to customers through fake or nonexistent front companies,” said Lorena Parra, chief prosecutor of the Eastern Prosecutor’s Office. “Legitimate platforms such as DirecTV also provided direct support. There is also a complaint from the Fox group and other television channels,” she added.
Why it matters
A Chilean Guarantee Court issued an order to block one of these platforms through criminal proceedings, something that had not previously been achieved in criminal court. “This represents significant progress,” said Chief Prosecutor Parra.
She also estimated that the platforms attracted more than 400,000 visitors from 2018 to present.
Further reading
They had a light aircraft and luxury cars: Gang involved in illegal TV signal retransmission over the Internet dismantled. Article. October 23, 2026. Alianze Against Audiovisual Piracy.
PDI destroys ban that sold illegal TV online: Recorded profits of $4.5 billion (Chilean Pesos) and even had a small plane. Article. October 23, 2026. by Joaquin Ugarte. CNN Chile
