YNOT – Ventura Content, the company that owns the copyright to the adult content produced by Pink Visual and distributed online by its sister company TopBucks, has filed a federal lawsuit against two tube site operators. The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, claims Mansef Inc. and 6721851 Canada Inc. violated U.S. copyright laws by operating four websites that have reproduced, displayed, performed and distributed Ventura Content’s material tens of millions of times.The websites named in the suit are KeezMovies.com, PornHub.com, ExtremeTube.com and Tube8.com.
“Using the leverage of the internet, defendants and others like them appropriate the value of … adult video content on a massive scale for their own benefit by operating websites known as ‘tube sites’ that allow users to view and download a vast library of infringing adult video content for free,” the complaint states. “Like other notorious infringing services before them such as Napster, Grokster and Kazaa, the emergence of these tube sites operated by defendants and others threatens not just Ventura, but the entire adult entertainment industry.”
Representing Ventura in the case is the law firm Jenner and Block LLP, known for its successful pursuit of Grokster, TorrentSpy and Usenet, among others, on behalf of other clients.
“We are extremely confident in the legal theory and supporting arguments that have been constructed by our legal team, and we believe our case is very strong,” said Ventura President Allison Vivas.
The complaint alleges the defendants not only are aware that users upload infringing content to their sites, but also that the defendants “actively engage in, promote and induce this infringement.”
Ventura seeks statutory and actual damages, compensation for its costs in pursuing legal action and an injunction requiring the defendants to cease direct and vicarious infringement now and in the future.
Mansef Inc. is under the gun from other quarters, as well. Last year, the U.S. government seized nearly $6.4 million from two banks accounts owned by Mansef and Premium Services LLC as part of a federal action against an “unlicensed money transmitting business.” The government seeks forfeiture of the funds.
