German authorities have arrested a German-Ukrainian couple for illegally broadcasting a Russian TV channel in violation of EU sanctions related to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“The suspects are a 37-year-old German and his 42-year-old Ukrainian wife,” the German Customs Authority (“Zoll”) said in a press release. The arrests were allegedly made on September 26.
“Both companies are alleged to have made multiple sanctioned Russian TV channels available to their customers through IP TV services since at least early 2022.” Zoll said in a statement on its website that the offer “may also Including well-known channels” such as Rossiya 1 and Russia Today (“RT”).
Authorities believe the couple had been running the service since early 2022, defying EU sanctions against state-controlled media in Russia.
During the raid, officials seized technical equipment, documentary evidence and 40,000 euros in cash. The domain names used by the couple to access illegal streaming services were also seized. In addition, the Karlsruhe District Court ordered the seizure of assets totaling €120,000, the so-called income from the business.
The couple now face charges under the Foreign Trade Act, which could carry a jail term of at least a year for conducting illegal activities for commercial purposes. The Stuttgart Customs Investigation Office is continuing to investigate the case.
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