FBI Employees Download Pirated Movies and TV-Shows

Ernesto
February 9, 2013
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bittorrent
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BitTorrent is used by millions of people every day, even in places where you wouldn’t really expect. New data suggests that employees at the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services Division are sharing movies and TV-shows with the rest of the world. Is the FBI gathering information on BitTorrent users, or could it be that the feds harbor in-house pirates?

anti-piracy Online piracy is a serious crime according to the FBI.

“It’s a growing threat—especially with the rise of digital technologies and Internet file sharing networks,” they write on their website.

Over the past years the FBI has been involved in many piracy related cases. The high-profile Megaupload investigation for example, where a federal agent used an “undercover computer” to browse the file-hosting site.

In this light it is quite a surprise that some employees at the FBI appear to be sharing copyrighted material out in the open, through BitTorrent.

Based on public data from BitTorrent monitoring company ScanEye we found several BitTorrent “pirates” linked to IP-addresses that are registered to FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services Division.

Below is a snapshot of some of the “hits” we found.

As can be seen above there is a particular interest in movies and TV-show downloads at the FBI’s largest division.

Some of the titles are relevant to the intelligence community such as “Homeland”, “The Girl Who played With Fire”, “The Good Wife” and “Dexter”. Other titles, including the Aussie soap opera Home and Away, are more general entertainment.

The big question is of course why these FBI IP-addresses are showing up in BitTorrent swarms.

The most likely explanation is that employees were downloading these videos for personal entertainment. This wouldn’t be much of a surprise really, as we’ve seen this before at congressional offices the Department of Justice, national parliaments, record labels and movie studios.

Another option is that the FBI is downloading the torrents as part of an ongoing investigation. However, this is less likely as ScanEye shows that the downloads are spread out over several months.

Or perhaps the IP-addresses were spoofed by Kim Dotcom to get back at the feds?

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Ignas

Well I’m not surprised if it is true… idea of sharing things always been a human nature what led to a lot of great inventions and discoveries.
- Violated0
  
  I am not at all surprised myself when the sharing culture, now termed Kopimism, is everywhere in all communities, jobs and cultures. I am sure over one billion people must file share at least sometimes where this number will only grow over time.
  
  We need ask the question though what is the nature a law that a vast percentage of the population ignore? Outdated and obsolete is that answer but sure Governments in one last ditch attempt try to hold back the flood of radical change,
  
  Now we can understand what file sharing at the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services Division truly means. It means they have already lost and so the laws will soon change as the World passes into a freely sharing culture. Plenty of money still to be made there when it was never as harmful as claimed.
  - Trist
    
    Sorry, but I don’t call it kopimism.
    I just noticed you’re the only one using that term on posts.
    BTW, I know from where that term comes, don’t worry.
    - Violated0
      
      I am by far not the only one to use the kopimism term when it is now part of the official Swedish language..
      
      Kopimism is about…
      All knowledge is for everyone.
      Searching for knowledge.
      The circulation of knowledge.
      The act of copying and uploading/downloading.
      
      They also believe that no law should exist to limit these aspects. Using the word is quite optional but it is better than some other words that go around.
    - bobmail
      
      Kopimism is “biting the hand that feeds” until the hand no longer wants to feed.
    - IDIOCRACY
      
      And that is why there is the Promo bay, for all the hands that do not feed, yeah right, and you did it again Bobby, soooo stupid hehe, I wonder if the dog has actually higher IQ than you because to come up with this kind of wrong replies, one needs a real low one.
    - Scary_Devil_Monastery
      
      And Judaism is all about cutting the genitalia of infants?
      
      Christianity is about symbolic cannibalism?
      
      Well, you are entitled to have your opinion about ANY religion, of course. Just be sure to point out how that is in fact your opinion.
    - Bobmail’s Arab Strap
      
      No, that’s called ‘bobmailing’.
  - Ignas
    
    Its not even about file sharing, even in the old times, when there where VHS cassettes, one would buy, whole family would watch, friends would then come for a party or something and watch too.
    You don’t hear nowadays MAFIAA bragging about that kind of sharing, only about the one what involves Internet.
    
    No government is larger than the people what make it, that is, at some point government will have to bend, if enough people will stand-up.
TheyLieAndCheat

It could be pirates spamming their ip addresses as we all know an ip address is worth nothing when trying to connect to a ‘crime’.
- http://twitter.com/DarkNinja45 WD
  
  While IP spoofing is plausible, it’d be a bit awkward when you consider this IP range is reserved for the FBI. It’s like how the Canadian government was caught torrenting Elements a while ago.
- cgimusic
  
  That depends. If all ScanEye does is scrape the trackers then yes, they could be easily spoofed but I presume ScanEye is a lot more sophisticated than that hence spoofing should be harder.
  - bobmail
    
    Wait, are you suggesting that the IP addresses might be a valid way to identify someone? Are you suggesting there are systems that cannot easily be spoofed?
    
    Do tell!
    - cgimusic
      
      Not at all. An IP still can’t identify a person, just the location that the connection originated from. For people pirating from home this means almost nothing because lots of people have unencrypted WiFi. For people connecting from workplaces it allows a reasonably reliable identification of the workplace but normally not the person.
    - IDIOCRACY
      
      Not reading again bobby dear, don’t you get tired of yourself making yourself look so stupid?? hehe
    - Scary_Devil_Monastery
      
      IP adresses can certainly be used in order to identify, say, a geographical area, or in most cases, a zip code.
      
      The federales have a restricted range of ip adresses making these adresses slightly easier to track.
      
      However, it all depends on how these ip adresses were gathered. And the problem with harvesting ip adresses is not only that they are, in themselves, not very reliable, if the harvesting method blindly accepts a given ip as being the real one, all bets are off. You might end up convinced that the pope and the college of cardinals were behind 95% of the torrenting, using some unfortunately rather common methods.
- Dreep
  
  An IP doesn’t mean one identifiable person, it could be anybody
  in a house, in a school, in an office, etc.
  
  In this case, they are IPs registered to FBI,
  thus anybody that has access
  to their internet connection is doing that.
  - Scary_Devil_Monastery
    
    “thus anybody that has accessto their internet connection is doing that.”
    
    Anyone with access to their intranet actually. There’s a minor, but distinct, difference.
    
    And it assumes Scaneye wasn’t tricked by an ip spoof, which might very well be possible.
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mkdkdkddk

Pretty bad when you can’t feed the American dream BS of a carrot on stick to your own kind. That’s OK though. Now they can just nuke us with un-maned drrones and say we were a threat. America is one big joke.
- Brett
  
  Ha! You guys along with the way women are treated over there is the biggest joke ever. Our country has so many people that this shouldn’t be a surprise at all. The same crap found here is worse in the more over populated countries. Well one of the countries in the Middle East decided to become a threat and not do shit about it. I think we shoulda took that whole place over because of that.
  - xpmule
    
    want some examples of Americans and their religions treating women badly ?
    - Bob65536
      
      Every country on Earth has hateful ignorant people. So no, I don’t want to see a small list of atrocities committed on women that proves nothing.
      
      I want to see a detailed list of atrocities committed against women broken down by country, type, and prevalence. Not the ones committed by our ancestors either. The ones being committed today. Then you can see that America’s treatment of women is way better than probably every middle eastern country. I’m sure America isn’t #1 in the world on treatment of women though.
    - Final
      
      Pff, that’s the only argument your people always use,
      “Nah, having dropped nuclear weapons wasn’t that bad,
      it’s worst what others did”.
      
      “There is violence with firearms in other countries,
      so it’s not a problem if they are easy to get in USA”.
      
      Wasn’t Brett feeling superior and acting
      like no woman is mistreated in USA?
      You obviously wasn’t able to defend that.
      Instead trying to distract the attention
      about what xpmule is pointing out,
      you should try to directly argue something about.
      
      Do you know police department in Washington
      doesn’t care when a woman has been raped
      and sometimes they even blame women for that?
    - Guest321
      
      You still can’t argue that women are better off in the Middle East than in the USA. The way women are treated in the Middle East is akin to slavery. They are considered a man’s property and have no freedom whatsoever.
      
      In some middle east countries the courts actually whip women as punishment for showing a little skin. That’s nothing but barbaric inhumane torture. If a women runs off with another man, she is hunted down a criminal and slaughtered by the religious overlords who patrol the streets.
    - Bob65536
      
      Firstly, I do not agree with Brett. I disagree with xpmule and Brett for two reasons.
      
      1. You can’t defend one group’s crimes by saying another group commits crimes. You can’t defend rape in the US by saying someone was raped in India, both crimes are equally wrong. I could have made this point clearer in my response, but I was mainly focused on my second disagreement. I was thinking about adding a sentence at the end saying, all countries should work to make things better, but I couldn’t think of a good way of phrasing it.
      
      2. I do standby point one, but its extremely common to see that sort of argument. So, if you are going to argue one group is as bad as another, at least make an honest comparison. Do you really think that conditions for women in the US are anywhere near as bad as most middle eastern countries? Now that doesn’t excuse the US. The US still has work to do, but many other countries have a lot more work to do in that regard.
      
      I’m not going to try to defend the US against gun crime, murder, rape, getting into other country’s business, or a huge list of other crimes. They happened so lets do what we can to stop them in the future.
      
      The reason why I responded at all is because I’m tired of seeing all these hateful messages everywhere about who has the better country. Now they have made their way to TorrentFreak. Hate does nothing but spread more hate. Education is the only way to reform a society. So rather than pointing fingers and spreading hate, educate yourself and others. Put your energy into something that will do some good.
    - xpmule
      
      ask the women in their religion if they want o be saved by your gun point and bombs and i think you will surprised at the response you get.
      Sorry but if you don’t like someone elses beliefs and way of life you don’t get to bad mouth them and bomb them and invade their country to impose democracy by the barrel of a gun !
      Mind your own business !
    - Bob65536
      
      I never advocated for guns and bombs. I support education and pressuring governments by peaceful means to end injustices.
      
      No I will not keep my mouth shut. No I will not mind my own business. When I see people abused or otherwise mistreated, I will speak up.
      
      How many crimes against women were prevented when the India rape case was shown in international media? Or when anonymous brought attention to the US Ohio rape case. Or the many groups that work to educate and petition governments to take action. This is the way you bring about positive change. Not by ignoring it.
    - Junk Male
      
      If the U.S. is not the #1 country for women, it is certainly advantageous enough that each of the ones I met felt she could do better on her own without marrying me. Even an admitted loser should be a better meal ticket for some female than working rotating shifts.
      
      (I know, I know, I should have promised to give potential mates children. But if they didn’t want me as a keeper, I wasn’t going to pay child support for the next 26 years, or whatever the age of majority is defined as by 2040.)
- PerfectShit
  
  Why the hate, bro?
  - crayven
    
    What “hater”, he is right, “bro” xD
  - xpmule
    
    Because they deserve.
    - Rezident_User
      
      All you can do is call names weakling.
- xpmule
  
  OR rather than drones they can make custom multi-million dollar stealth choppers and sneak into your country and kill as many people as they want and leave as big a mess as they want and steal what ever they want and then run for it when incoming fighter jets are dispatched.. yeah real brave hero’s lol
  If Americans can do shit like that then other countries have every reasonable right to do the same thing in return.. So anyone that has applied for refugee status from an evil dictator should be fair game.. the other country should be able to sneak in to US soil and murder anyone they want for any reason with no trial and just say the word WAR or Terrorist.
  America is a joke and is treading on thin ice and better watch their stupid cocky bullshit !
  - madwac
    
    Just remember not all American’s agree with how this country is run or what this government does.
- Rezident_User
  
  You’re utterly powerless in the face of anything America wants to do to you, and you’re calling them a joke?
  That’s like an ant calling the boot hovering over it a “joke”.
- FreeMe
  
  No. Dud you don’t get it. -First I believe that you mean the “United
  State Of America” and not “America” because “America” span 3 continents
  and host many countries. -Second It is not about the United State of
  America”. It is about the corporations and the banks who have hijacked
  our governments. I don’t know where you are from but there is a 96% chance
  that your government has been hijacked too. Sorry for the bad news. And as fare as the
  entertainment industry is concerned we have to kill them all because
  they are satanists and represent a mortal danger to our civilization.
  Watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idAz7mFKPrc
Guest321

Do as we say, not as we do.
Andrew Lee

Well the FBI is made up of people lol but we all know the war on the internet is much higher than the average FBI agent.

Although if I was was sitting in a office downloading movies and then I was told to go pickup someone and bring them in for downloading it would fuck with my head. My guess is they do what they’re told because they’re not paid to think. They are paid to be obedient little workers and that includes shitting on peoples rights whether they like it or not.
djnforce9

At the end of the day, even the FBI’s staff are just regular people like you and I who want to experience and share culture with everyone abroad. Only the MAFIAA goons are truly against this sort of thing and I wouldn’t be surprised if they thoroughly tracked all their employees in the same manner that they would love to do to everyone else.
- torzir
  
  Actually I believe TorrentFreak has found IP addresses originating from the MAFIAA pirating TV shows/films through torrents in the past.
  - xpmule
    
    same info and method used by Peerblock that everyone screams is not vaild..
    - guest
      
      I kinda want a job working for the MAFIAA so i can pirate content. Joking aside any large organization is going to have pirates in it.
- xpmule
  
  at the end of the day they are cops and will arrest you !
  Wake up !
  Do some research on FBI anti-piracy stings.. these guys have done many operations that spanned across across the globe spending years and many millions. People think they are safe and act dumb and then that is used against them *later.
  Piece of advice. don’t trust your fellow mod’s on site xyz. Don’t trust your buddy’s on IRC etc..
  You never know which one is an agent doing evidence collection in a long term sting or worse just another rat.. most people will rat you out online in a heart beat at the slightest hint of trouble.
  
  Don’t ASSUME, FBI agents are downloading files for entertainment that is dumb lol
  - Pelham123
    
    “You never know which one is an agent doing evidence collection in a long term sting”
    
    It would have to be illegal first. It’s not in the U.S. The worst that can happen to you is a lawsuit for a copyright violation.
    
    “Don’t ASSUME, FBI agents are downloading files for entertainment that is dumb lol”
    
    Anything else would be a major scandal that could result in all kinds of blowback, including public acknowledgement of my point #1.
- Pelham123
  
  “Only the MAFIAA goons are truly against this sort of thing”
  
  They aren’t. They do it to each other all the time.
  
  The goal is to control us, not each other.
SpikedCola

What else is new? You’re surprised that the people against downloading are the very people doing it?
ScrewEwe2

Thank You, another IP Range to block. 153.31.0.0 – 153.31.255.255
- Mike O’Hara
  
  G.G. sir.
- heeeeeeee
  
  what’s interesting to me is that the 153/8 block belongs to the ‘asia pacific network service’ (apnic).
  Why would the FBI have their network assigned there?
  
  Asia Pacific Network Information Centre APNIC-ERX-153 (NET-153-0-0-0-0) 153.0.0.0 – 153.255.255.255
  FBI Criminal Justice Information Systems ITN (NET-153-31-0-0-1) 153.31.0.0 – 153.31.255.255
  - Guest
    
    Why not? If it doesn’t make sense – do it!! They show up where least expected.
  - ScrewEwe2
    
    I noticed the same thing when I first checked, but upon further checks I came up with the following results:
    
    IP: 153.29.0.0 – 153.29.255.255
    ISP: United States Air Force
    Region: Montgomery Alabama (US)
    http://en.utrace.de/?query=153.29.0.0+-+153.29.255.255+
    
    IP: 153.30.0.0 – 153.30.255.255
    ISP: DoD Network Information Center
    Region: Columbus Ohio (US)
    http://en.utrace.de/?query=153.30.0.0+-+153.30.255.255+
    
    IP 153.32.0.0 – 153.32.255.255
    ISP: Adobe Systems
    Region: San Jose California (US)
    http://en.utrace.de/?query=153.32.0.0+-+153.32.255.255
    
    IP: 153.33.0.0 – 153.33.255.255
    ISP: LTX Corp.
    Region: San Jose California (US)
    http://en.utrace.de/?query=153.33.0.0+-+153.33.255.255
    
    The ranges below 153.29.255.255 and above 153.33.255.255 come back as being in Asia. Some may remember when the article on The Demonoid tracker coming back online, one of the trackers ranges was attributed to the 153.29.0.0 – 153.29.255.255 IP range of The USAF in Montgomery Alabama (can you say honey pot)?
    - bobmail
      
      So wait… you guys say it’s easy to spoof IP addresses, and then use this stuff as “absolute proof” that the FBI is pirating stuff?
      
      Bizarro world you guys live in.
    - FinalApokylypse
      
      If you read very carefully bobmail.. you can deduce that there is no “proof” of what actually occurred merely speculation. Whether spoofing is easy or not is irrelevant too, the fact that it can be done negates any “absolute proof”.
    - bobmail
      
      Yet, clearly enough proof for this story. I like that, not enough proof to find pirates guilty, but enough proof to slam the authorities?
      
      Two faced, don’t you think?
    - ScrewEwe2
      
      Just how many faces do you have, hmmmmmmm?
    - Pelham123
      
      “Just how many faces do you have, hmmmmmmm?”
      
      Just one – a lonely person with Asperger’s who does not understand basic nuance and likes having average-abled people explain stuff to him.
    - ScrewEwe2
      
      Not quite sure if your post is directed at me or one of the bobmail’s?
    - ScrewEwe2
      
      After I re-read your post I realized you were talking about him, but wasn’t sure, cuz I might have been slipped some Cartmanburgers.
    - Liam JH
      
      Bob, the point of the story is you – an IP address does not identify a person.
    - anon
      
      it is the mac address you left at the door identify your computer
    - n_mailer
      
      “not enough proof to find pirates guilty, but enough proof to slam the authorities?”
      
      And now, Boobmail confuses finding individuals guilty with “slamming the authorities” – criticizing a group.
      
      According to Bobmail, if you complain about taxes, you are accusing one IRS agent of theft. Also, the only reason you complain about taxes is if you have proof that something wrong is going on – anything legal is beyond reproach.
      
      And on top of that, Boobmail has confused liability in a civil suit with being found guilty. A file-sharer who is held liable (not many of those, but theoretically) is simply liable, not guilty.
      
      Ah, Boobmail.
    - Ardvaark
      
      If it’s enough to put people in court
      You’d guess it’s enough to for a story to be written.
      Again this is assuming the MAFIAA IP thesis is correct which it isn’t. The article makes its point by using the MAFIAA’s own argument’s against them, now either they disprove the article, disproving themselves or credit themselves and credit the article. There’s no dual standards.
    - Bobmail_is_a_TROLL
      
      I would love to kick this bobmail troll in the mouth with a spiked steeltoe boot!!
    - Scary_Devil_Monastery
      
      “Yet, clearly enough proof for this story.”
      
      Indeed. Either the story is false in which case it’s yet one more blow against using ip-adresses as “evidence”.
      
      Or the feds are sitting around watching downloaded movies all day on taxpayer buck, which is not good either.
      
      But apparently you think the story, whether true or false, should not even be debated as it isn’t relevant, hmm?
      
      Either way claiming that the fact that pirates debate the story is proof of hypocrisy is “stretching it” about 180 degrees from the truth.
    - IDIOCRACY
      
      You are sooo bad reader…and soooo typical for a copy-wrong troll, twisting a few lines and place them out of context so the meaning gets reversed…. that is all you guys do. You are really getting too old for this stuff Bobmail, everyone sees right through your attempts of defaming, slander and bullsh*t… how long are you gonna make an ass out of yourself like this… does it feel soo good to get laughed at all the time for being soo stupid that a pig is obviously smarter than you?? hehe
    - ScrewEwe2
      
      To everyone replying to bobmail, more than likely you’re getting trolled by more than 1 fake
      bobmail(s). The real bobmail will pop-up with statistics when you mouse over the avatar next to his name, while the fake bobmail(s) won’t. The faker(s) are just out 4 Lulz.
      
      At this point, I would say that the commenter who is the real bobmail is out for laughs too. Time to create another troll name guy’s and do a better job of covering your tracks. Where’s Anon?
      
      Fuck em all.
    - bobmail
      
      Screw you back, idiot.
      
      Basically, you don’t want to talk to anyone who doesn’t agree with you. Fine. Ignore my comments,and move along. You don’t have to be a jackass about it. Go back to running your pirate site and making ad money… just remember to keep track of it when the tax man comes!
    - IDIOCRACY
      
      well that reply says it all, he’s pissed, whoehaha bad loser… and again making an ass out of himself, and it does not matter to me if there are more bobmails… easier to remember 1 name than many, have to remember enough important stuff (like what to download today) so… troll on… and make from yourself a universally dumb idiot on display for everyone…hehe please entertain me more, this sems to be the only way Hollywood can entertain me nowadays… hehe
    - VTNC
      
      #vaosefoderem
    - Anonymous
      
      FUCK TAXES!!! I haven’t paid any since 2000 and I refuse to pay since legally you don’t have to.
      
      Joseph R. Banister, a former fraud expert and gun carrying special agent with the criminal investigations division of the Internal Revenue Service, has discovered that there is no law that requires you to file a income tax return or to pay income tax for working in America
      
      Just as the ” fact ” that the earth was once considered flat was exposed as a lie we have in our own time a lie of equal and greater size. Just as fear and ignorance once stated that the earth was flat so today our nation is ruled by fear and ignorance in regard to the so-called ” income tax.” The facts are these :
      
      There is no law which requires you to file an income tax return for working in America.
      
      There is no law which requires you to pay income tax for working in America.
      
      You volunteer when you sign a income tax return.
      
      You volunteer when you pay income tax.
      
      You sign away your 5th Amendment rights against self-incrimination when you sign a tax return.
      
      The money which you pay as your ” income tax ” goes to a private banking cartel known as the Federal Reserve System. This organization, also known as the ” FED,” is NOT a government agency.
      
      now BobNOOBmail do us a favor and just STFU.
    - Jesus
      
      You are so full of shit. The entire “Paying taxes is not in the Constitution bit” doesn’t work with the IRS and doesn’t hold up in court. If your not paying income taxes, your unemployed and not on unemployment and living under a bridge.
      
      Fighting the IRS is a losing battle every time. This argument is old and never works. Anyone that tries this is screwed. They’ll have their property taken and could end up in jail. Its just a ticking time bomb waiting to go off.
      
      But if your not a productive part of society then its not going to matter much. You’d have to live like the Unabomber.
    - ScrewEwe2
      
      Anything you say bobmil. U 2 Lazy 2 Troll Asshole. Both idiots in the picture below are the same guy, just out to waste time, but wait, there’s more, of them.
    - Just watching
      
      That remark actually offends pigs. They shudder to think they’d be used in a comparison with him…
    - ScrewEwe2
      
      bboamil, I would say playing “bobmail” is the Bizarro world you live in. You need to learn how to spoof commenters a little better. You’ve got a shitload to learn bboamil. I’ll give you a fail.
    - guest
      
      Bobmail do you get paid to be a copyright troll? You have a few post on articles trolling. I would respond to how stupid comment is. But there is a sign that says don’t feed the troll nearby.
    - Scary_Devil_Monastery
      
      You spy three or four pirates seriously debating what is in essence “What is wrong with this picture” and confidently state we’re talking about “proof”?
      
      Do you even understand english these days, “Baghdad”?
  - vhaero
    
    My own IP adress is supposed to belong to ARIN even though I live in Europe. However, it seems like some parts has been transferred, and it’s not as simple anymore. Not all IP addresses within a range belongs to ONE single region.
    
    Compare:
    158.35.1.1 (USA): http://whois.domaintools.com/158.35.1.1
    158.36.1.1 (Norway): http://whois.domaintools.com/158.36.1.1
    
    Maybe this is of interest:
    http://www.ripe.net/lir-services/resource-management/erx/completed-transfers/transfer-of-networks-in-153-8
    
    Example:
    
    ARIN 153.31.0.0 – 153.31.255.255
- Ben Nichols
  
  Ive allready done the work for you, http://squidblacklist.org/downloads/squidblacklists/squid-usg.tar.gz enjoy
- Guest
  
  Pirates block FBI employees from pirating
  It’s irony all the way down.
- Seth Forbus
  
  Seedbox.
anonymous

all that will be said here is that it was done on purpose, in the course of investigations or to try to entice others to take the bait. whatever excuse is used, they will still have no case brought against them (because they are doing things for the entertainment industries, for free!) but will be jumping all over every single ordinary person they find that MAY BE file sharing. typical ‘i dont care care what you think, this is what will happen. dont do what we do, do what we tell you’.
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Loser

unless they are on the torrent to track other downloaders….
- MadAsASnake
  
  Why would they be doing that? It’s a civil matter.
  - Dont
    
    Because that is how they caught people. I also believe that they use those downloads to track other downloaders, and trying to match who are the biggest uploaders
  - JAYCEECAM
    
    If this was the case the FBI warning would be removed from copyrighted materials.
Whatever

Blobsnail: “There must be some mitigating circumstances”
(mitigating isn’t the exact term, just can’t come up with the right one)

UntilPirate: “They ARE the law”

Remaining trolls: rambling something about child abuse as a valid reason.
BadDayAnon

“Online piracy is a serious crime according to the FBI”. It is not a serious crime anywhere and law backs that up. Piracy is a minor crime and a civil offence.

It is about time the FBI and media companies were pulled up for their misleading statements which are flat out wrong.,

If the FBI take anyone to court over piracy then the info in this post should be used against then.
Pingback: FBI Employees Download Pirated Movies and TV-Shows | We R Pirates
Anon

Could it be that these are used as plants when a computer is taken into custody and no criminal activity is found. Would the FBI be above planting evidence to cover their ass, ummm could be.
MadAsASnake

Pretty sure that the people at the FBI think all this persecution of “suspected filesharers” is a complete joke. The wont say it publicly mind…
- xpmule
  
  pretty sure they like throwing people in jail about it. ask teh guys doing time from various groups.. google it
Whatever

Those FBI employees are not only in breach of copyright monopoly rules but also “steal” from their employer.

They are not working when setting up and searching for torrents followed by watching them AND use the provided office resources to do it. They should do it at home like everyone else.

It is also remarkable that they would be actually capable of getting some reasonable speeds as peerblock would probably have blocked that range. I guess they download from the military or are very patient.
(If half the users use peerblock they have 50% less peers to leech from)

Why are there never any speculative invoicing letters sent to any government organizations with weapons ?
- Derpster
  
  Funny you say that, I was thinking the same thing.
  
  It would make for a very good defense. Ask during deposition who else they’ve sued, or more directly, have you (MAFIAA) ever sued DoJ, Army, CIA, HBO, Warner Bros, Navy, Coast Guard, Sony, etc.
  
  Oh, no? Why not, my little MAFIAA friends? Is this more about shaking down the little guy who can’t pay to defend himself? And the little guy who won’t shit all over you if you go after him?
  
  Fuck big media.
  - ScrewEwe2
    
    FBI has plausible deniability a mile long.
http://blog.fmeyer.org Fernando Meyer

Maybe they are peer sniffers. FBI does connect to random torrents to monitor peers s/l IP addresses.
- xpmule
  
  the simplest explanation is usually the correct one.
  I would have to agree.. that seems the most likely answer.
  BUT is the IP data valid ?
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Andrew me

If the FBI is gathering data and assisting Hollywood in its attack on the citizens of America for sharing any copyright files over the internet then they are using their resources to assist in a civil matter.

Does this mean that the FBI can be called upon by anyone to assist them in a civil mater, this would be good news to many people as civil matters are ignored by the police and none of their resources are used to assist anyone with an investigation.

Or it could be corruption at the highest level with someone in a position of power using the FBI resources for personal gain in what should be a civil matter.
- Randy_Lahey
  
  The FBI doesn’t assist in “Civil Matters” as they’re federal and that would be outside of their jurisdiction.
- Who
  
  the problem is that if you look in to the US copyright law it says that there are both civil and criminal acts of copyright infringements, the criminal would be listed under federal crimes and that’s what the FBI has jurisdiction over. another issue is when they turn the civil over as criminal. the reason for this is because local and state law enforcement don’t bother with it and because the MPAA/RIAA want action they force a change over.
http://www.facebook.com/forkingham.melle Forkingham Melle

thank you for this information Ernest, even the FBI’s wifi can be compromised
- Guest
  
  troll detected
  - xpmule
    
    so what stfu
    jeezuz christ i’m sick of hearing people being accused of being a fucking Troll.
    Holy fuck people give it god damn rest already !
    
    think of some other kind of insult.. cause that shit is getting old !
    
    besides what the fuck is your comment ?
    What did you contribute ? By definition your comment is the Troll comment idiot.
PerfectShit

“Is that cocaine real? I dunno, boss, one sec…”
Qwaick

Obviously they are just doing research

^^”
- http://gene-poole.tumblr.com Gene Poole
  
  Makes no sense. By that argument I’m downloading from tpb, I’m just “doing research” into pirate culture. It isn’t going to stop me from being prosecuted, because it’s still illegal if I don’t own the rights to the content.
  
  People assume that just because it’s law enforcement that they are allowed to break the law, this is not only incorrect it is dangerous, as it leads to an environment of tolerance where anything the police do is seen as okay, because “they’re just stopping the bad guys, so they must be allowed to lie in court, beat people in custody, fire seven warning shots into the back of an escaping perp, etc etc etc”.
  
  These people at the FBI are breaking the law, full stop. It doesn’t matter if they’re “doing research”, or “harvesting IP addresses”, or “jerking off to my mum’s naked pictures”, it’s still illegal and hypocritical for someone in such a position. Especially considering ICE’s track record to begin with.
  - Scary_Devil_Monastery
    
    Assuming, of course, that Scaneye isn’t just blowing smoke.
    
    Which brings us straight back to the question on how reliable ip adresses are for use as evidence.
    - http://gene-poole.tumblr.com Gene Poole
      
      Absolutely agree, and fully support the possibility. So it’s a Lady-Or-The-Tiger sort of situation. Pick your poison.
- Ricky
  
  Me too!
afrowolf

I hope they at least have the decency to seed the files properly.
frankie098

What the hell is a “undercover computer” can someone enlighten me please?
- Guest
  
  It’s what the cyberpolice use to backtrace people.
  - HelpfulMan
    
    an undercover computer is a computer that gets used while someone is under a cover(sheet/ blanket).
- xpmule
  
  its when you got such and awesome new rig put together than you sleep with it <3
  I've slept with some hot chicks and a few electric guitars before lol
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http://mygazbook.blogspot.com/ gwatts88

Disappointing; I was hoping something embarrassing like porn downloads would come up. I already know the FBI is corrupt.
- http://www.persephonespath.com/ PersephoneK
  
  how do you know this? Corruption is not the same as inept.
  - http://mygazbook.blogspot.com/ gwatts88
    
    Fair point
- Bobmail’s Arab Strap
  
  Something embarrassing? And you think Home and Away doesn’t fit into that description? ;)
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Jesus

I believe the FBI themselves would like to do something more worthwhile than hunting down people that upload or download a song or movie. It doesn’t really make careers. Hunting down a catching terrorists, serial killers, is usually the best jobs or organized crime for advancement. I’m sure they have a name for the people that never have to risk anything. I’d hate to be an FBI agent sitting behind a computer looking at swarms or arresting some harmless Release group uploading movies. With so many serious issues they have to deal with, I’m sure they hate that duty.
- xpmule
  
  look at the money and man power the idiots put into catching some crippled old man in Paksitan compared to the organized crime running rampant generating zillions of dollars on USA and CAN soil..
  The Hells Angels alone makes many millions per day on illegal drugs and they are a small piece of the puzzle and scope of the problem, so you’d think they would invest the same money used for custom choppers in Area51 (to be used assassinate Bin laden)
  for a better purpose. Same with copyright crap.. they have nothing better to do with the citizens tax dollars than to hunt kids downloading mp3′s or whatever..
  - Jesus
    
    If your talking about Bin Laden, then as an American that was money well spent. We had a score to settle with him and it sends the message that no matter how long it takes, no matter how much money it takes, we’re going to find you and kill you. (Even our war hating Liberals enjoyed that news.) And while the FBI helped in many ways, that’s the CIA’s job for terrorists outside the US. Inside the US is the FBI’s job. I’m not necessarily agreeing with America politics in general in all dealings with Muslims countries, but that’s another story
    
    Now if you were talking about some cripple uploading movies or music in Pakistan? I can guarantee to you we wouldn’t spend the same amount of time and money to find that individual. We do have some perspective about that. And for Copyright issues in other countries they use their own tax payer funded local law enforcement, unfortunately for them.
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Liam JH

I in all honestly think its ‘cos the MAFIAA has told ‘em that Pirates fund Terrorists.
SWAT on standby for me dear old mum XD
- guess who
  
  america happily funds terrorists, just look at all the money they gave to the ira. fuck america, they are liars and dishonest to the core.
  - xpmule
    
    yup they funded Saddam Husein and Osama Bin laden and MANY many more..
xpmule

another story used by people that scream Peerblock is useless……..
- Who
  
  do you even know how peer block works? when you load a list, it contains known IPS’s that SPY on your internet activity. so what this leads to is BLOCKED peers, that’s ALL it does. this blocking DOES NOT protect you as you IP IS STILL visible. this ALSO prevents others that are using them “know to spy on you isp’s” from connecting to you when you are like say seeding a torrent.
  - xpmule
    
    i use it and know how it works better than you do i bet.
    I coded support for those lists your lecturing me on for a file sharing program i coded myself a lotta years ago..
    guess what the program is called ?
    
    And there is more lies and bullshit spread about PB than there is facts presented at any given time on the net..
    The mantra is to to repeat what others say with little thought to it.. people are dumb.
Bob65536

I think the point of the black censor bars was not to get any FBI employees in trouble. Its a failure though because not all of the pixels are the same shade of black. You can read the numbers under the censor bars.

1. 216 or 218
2. 20
3. 25 or 250
4.200
5. 22
6. 36
7. 244
- Guest
  
  HAHA nice one image saved
- anon
  
  Here’s a better one. http://puu.sh/209GT/4025cc3a7f
- Bobmail’s Arab Strap
  
  1. is definitely 218
  2. is actually 207
  3. is definitely 250
  
  4 to 7 you’ve got spot on.
- Lulzsec
  
  haha nice one m8
xpmule

there is no fucking way in hell these guys are downloading because they wanna watch “The Office” at work that is simply fucking retarded and disturbing how almost everyone here assumes that.
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Claro

I’ve reported this to carmen.ortiz@usdoj.gov so if this isn’t investigated and prosecuted, we’ll have a case against her. While you’re at it, email her and let her know how you feel about the Aaron Swartz case :)
http://www.facebook.com/people/Jason-Vega/1183864394 Jason Vega

considering satanism and pedophilia are rampant in the mossadBI is it any suprise they are breaking the law online as well?? the massive criminal elements in this phony badge wearing circus are literally the scum of the earth and a disgrace to humanity
- http://geekhideout.net/ The G33K
  
  Satanism? Bwahahahahahahaha
  
  oh.. you actually believe that… BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
  
  Also you might like to know that if you are one of the multitude who have faith in or practice an Abrahamic religion then you too are “satanistic”. But hey, why let logic get in the way of Conspiracy theories
TrenkDooo

Its the ole do as I say not as I do lol.

GoinAnon.da.bz
Gman

shows that we all want to download stuff.
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http://www.facebook.com/jon7272 Jon Holliday

come on bob nej and anon where are you oh you cant spin this your way dirty thieves these fbi are. should be jailed and spanked lmfao
- http://gene-poole.tumblr.com Gene Poole
  
  They don’t work weekends. Government hours.
- xpmule
  
  the are hiding because if they run their mouth too much they know fredrika will come out of the shadows and hand their ass to them lol
JordanKratz

F.at B.ellied I.gnoramuses !!!
Ben Nichols

Heres a list of government ip ranges weve compiled in CIDR format, hope you enjoy. http://pastebin.com/kqp6xP4f
quawonk

Honeypot.
- Guest
  
  So where are all the raids and arrests?
  
  The most likely explanation is that the copyright thugs are carrying on their proud tradition of being pirates themselves.
  - xpmule
    
    they always take a looong time to collect evidence which works well in their favor.. gives nubs a false sense of security lol
    Look at past fbi piracy activity and you will see they spent years doing investigations.
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notevenonce

well if you cant beat em…..
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jorge massoud

I noticed the same thing when I first checked, but upon further checks I came up with the following results:

IP: 153.29.0.0 – 153.29.255.255
ISP: United States Air Force
Region: Montgomery Alabama (US)
http://en.utrace.de/?query=153…
- ScrewEwe2
  
  I noticed the same thing 10 hours ago. Ewe must be a pirate.
http://www.facebook.com/michael.s.thomas2 Michael S Thomas II

they probably host a TOR relay. I don’t think they’d be this blatant about it.
- ScrewEwe2
  
  TOR was started up by the US military.
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Ryaker

LoL is this a news ? According to the author why ipfilters have been created ? Check iblocklist.com and nexus23.com for such good ipfilters that block all of these governments agencies and much much more .

The Columbus Egg in the News makes sense only to kids.
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LIONESS

IS this such a surprise?….lol
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disqusux

They’re watching a kiddie soap like Home and Away? Are they keeping all those bikinis under surveillance?
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Guest

The first thing that occurred to me is that the RIAA will never be using ScanEye’s services, ever.

You don’t use the service of someone who tells you what you don’t want to hear.
steven

Steven said a story i impressed that he was made upto 1 million in year from computer here is website Fly38.ComCheck this site…
- http://twitter.com/DarkNinja45 WD
  
  Der fack is this spam?
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http://www.facebook.com/not0fthiswor1d James Dowden

PLEASE DONT STEAL… The government hates Competition
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No

Alternatively: honeypots.
- joexxx
  
  FBI isn’t that smart.
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http://www.facebook.com/people/Abinico-Warez/100002657822528 Abinico Warez

When ever you give a group of people special absolute power you can be absolutely sure they will abuse it.
http://thepiratebay.se/user/SCSA420 StoneCold420

FUCK Hollywood and FUCK THE FBI you punk ass bitches will NEVER stop ThePirateBay
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http://www.facebook.com/gopal.narayan.39 Gopal Narayan

Interesting article!
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Thee Grim One

Do as i say……..Not as i do………..SMH
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geust

pirates are wtf

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