A Dane accused of orchestrating a colossal music streaming fraud scheme is reportedly headed to trial, sparking an unprecedented legal battle that is capturing the attention of the global music industry.
Based in the city of Aarhus, the case marks a significant moment in the streaming era, highlighting the vulnerabilities and challenges within streaming platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music. The scale of the operation is unprecedented, sparking debates about the integrity of streaming counts and the measures in place to protect artists and copyright holders.
The unnamed defendant generated a staggering 4.38 million kroner, or approximately £502,000, in royalties through manipulation of streaming services. The Guardian reports. According to prosecutors, the feat was achieved by artificially inflating the number of plays of 689 musical works over a period of several years.
The man is accused of fraud and copyright infringement, the latter of which stems from his alleged alteration of existing musical works, often simply altering their length and tempo before re-releasing them under his own name. Prosecutors argued that the sheer volume of streams required to accrue such royalties suggests the defendant violated the terms of service of the music streaming platforms involved, thereby undermining fair compensation for artists and creators.
The defendant has pleaded not guilty to the charges, according to The Guardian.
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