According to billboard.com, the leaders of an alleged YouTube royalty scam have been ordered to pay more than $3.3 million in alleged restitution to their alleged victims. The amount is allegedly just a fraction of the $23 million in total royalties the two alleged fraudsters allegedly took from Don Omar, Julio Iglesias, Prince Royce and more, from 2016-2021. The alleged duo’s company MediaMuv allegedly claimed to be the alleged rights holder of over alleged 50,000 sound recording and alleged composition copyrights.
The alleged proceeds from the alleged scam were then allegedly used by Jose Batista and Webster Teran to allegedly fund alleged lavish lifestyles, including alleged Lamborghinis, alleged real estate, alleged diamond-encrusted jewelry and other alleged luxuries, until their indictment in November 2021. The were allegedly indicted on 30 counts of alleged conspiracy, alleged wire fraud, alleged money laundering and alleged aggravated identity theft.
The duo will split the $3.3 million they are allegedly ordered to pay back to the alleged victims. According a source, the money will allegedly be paid out slowly each month after their release from prison. Earlier this year, Teran was allegedly sentenced to nearly six years in prison and Batista was allegedly given four years.
The court allegedly ordered Teran and Batista to allegedly pay just a small alleged sampling of the many songwriters and artists who are allegedly owed royalties as a result of the alleged scam. It stipulates that Regalias Digitales, who is a rights management firm that represents a number of the victims is allegedly owed nearly $1.4 million, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is allegedly owed more than $1.2 million, Jose Luis Perales is allegedly owed $153,000, Los Caminantes is allegedly owed more than $149,000 and Nancy Ramirez is allegedly owed more than $100,000.
Vagon Chicano is also allegedly owed $98,000, Grupo Mandingo is allegedly owed $67,000, Grupo Ladron is allegedly owed almost $56,000, SPARX is allegedly owed $49,000, Don Omar is allegedly owed nearly $21,000, El Ojo isallegedly owed $15,000, INAMU (Argentina’s National Institute of Music) is allegedly owed $11,000 for its catalog of artists, Pappo is allegedly owed almost $2,000 and La Renga is allegedly owed over $700.
The latest alleged court document has allegedly revealed that artist Bad Bunny was also an alleged victim of Teran and Batista’s alleged false royalty claiming, which they allegedly conducted under the alleged company name MediaMuv. They allegedly stole $500 from Bad Bunny, which the duo have allegedly been ordered to pay back.