![\"asgaard](\"https:\/\/www.cryptocabaret.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/asgaard.jpg\")
Large public torrent sites, such as The Pirate Bay, RARBG and YTS, attract massive international audiences. By dedicating themselves to a specific niche, smaller torrent sites can also generate significant traction.<\/p>\nLarge public torrent sites, such as The Pirate Bay, RARBG and YTS, attract massive international audiences. By dedicating themselves to a specific niche, smaller torrent sites can also generate significant traction.<\/p>\n
Some sites focus on a particular type of music, for example, while others may concentrate on movie genres including horror or anime. Since most torrent sites typically carry content in English, private torrent sites catering to speakers of a particular language can become hugely successful, something especially true for those attracting Scandinavian users.<\/p>\n
Copyright holders operating in Denmark, where just six million people speak Danish, view private torrent sites as unfair competition in what is already a relatively small market. So, in partnership with their colleagues at Danish anti-piracy group Rights Alliance, a decision was made to shut down all local torrent sites \u2013 for good.<\/p>\n
With backing from the Danish government\u2019s S\u00d8IK\u2019s IP-Task Force, Rights Alliance took down DanishBits<\/a> and NordicBits<\/a>, two sites with big reputations that stretched far beyond Scandinavia. <\/p>\n Taking these sites down sent a clear deterrent message but instead of shutting down, private tracker Asgaard took in new members<\/a>, many from the shuttered sites. A few weeks later the previously emboldened Asgaard announced it too would close, mostly to avoid staff being arrested. <\/p>\n Danish police didn\u2019t get the memo and over the next several months, seven people were arrested. By March 2022, four prosecutions had led to criminal convictions.<\/p>\n \u2013 Man, 50: 4 months in prison, 3 conditional (June 2021<\/a>) As the image above shows, earlier this year three of the seven were yet to face the courts. Following a process last week, just two remain.<\/p>\n On November 3, 2022, at the Aarhus Courthouse in Denmark, a 47-year-old man became the fifth member of Asgaard to be convicted since is closure in late 2020. He allegedly co-founded Asgaard in May 2019, with Rights Alliance describing him as one of the site\u2019s masterminds. <\/p>\n In addition to buying Asgaard\u2019s domain name, asgrd.org, he helped cover the costs, make decisions related to its operations, and also acted as its \u2018press officer\u2019. Rights Alliance reports that between 2015 to 2020, he was also associated with DanishBits and ShareUniversity.<\/p>\n \u201cThe sentence is 3 months\u2019 probation and 80 hours of community service, confiscation of DKK 2,282 [US$305.00), a desktop PC and two external hard drives, and compensation to the Rights Alliance of DKK 35,000 [US$4,670],\u201d Rights Alliance says.<\/p>\n \u201cDuring the period of the crime, Asgaard had 23,000 users, and gave access to at least 15,000 files with copyright-protected works, several of which were shared before their digital premiere.\u201d<\/p>\n Following the conviction last week, just two of the initial seven suspects are yet to face the courts. An updated graphic from Rights Alliance indicates that an Asgaard moderator and one other person are yet to have their cases concluded.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Rights Alliance Director Maria Fredenslund says that the convictions are the product of hard work designed to wipe out all Denmark-based file-sharing sites.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is immensely satisfying to note that the masterminds are now \u2013 one by one \u2013 being convicted of their criminal enterprise. We are dealing with a number of backers who were not only systematic in their violations of the rights of the members of the Rights Alliance, but also well organized,\u201d Fredenslund says.<\/p>\n \u201cThey were dynamic, in the sense that if one service was shut down, they continued their illegal activities on another. Each sentence in this extensive case is an underlining that despite the organization and dynamic methods of the masterminds, they will be caught and held accountable for their violation.\u201d<\/p>\n According to Jan \u00d8stergaard, Special prosecutor at the National Unit for Special Crime (NSK), the conviction sends a message to site operators and site users alike.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is very satisfying that, on the basis of a strong and focused effort, NSK has brought another mastermind to account,\u201d \u00d8stergaard says.<\/p>\n \u201cIt sends a clear signal to both the masterminds and to the Danish pirate users that there is a great focus on this type of crime.\u201d<\/p>\n NSK was established on 1 January 2022. Among other things, NSK aims to combat complex organized crime and financial crime.<\/em><\/p>\n From: TF<\/a>, for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more.<\/p>\n
\n\u2013 Man, 43: 3 months in prison (conditional) plus community service (February 2022<\/a>)
\n\u2013 Man, 54: 3 months in prison (conditional) plus community service (March 2022)
\n\u2013 Man, 35: 3 months in prison (conditional) plus community service (March 2022<\/a>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n![\"asgaard](\"https:\/\/www.cryptocabaret.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/asgaard-ringleaders-eng.png\")
<\/a><\/center><\/p>\nFifth Criminal Conviction<\/h2>\n
And Then There Were Two<\/h2>\n
![\"Asgaard](\"https:\/\/www.cryptocabaret.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Asgaard-five-of-seven.png\")
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