On Tuesday, federal agents arrested popular YouTuber Bill Omar Carrasquillo aka Omni the Hellcat from his New Jersey. The internet star was known for showing his jewelry and sizable car collection from hundreds of thousands of YouTube followers. He is being accused of stealing copyrighted material from cable companies and using it for his monetary gain.
Two years ago, agents raided Carrasquillo’s home and seized cars, cameras, and televisions.
The indictment accuses Carrasquillo and two of his associates of stealing copyrighted material from cable companies and using its content on his streaming services that customers pay for. The scammers offered subscribers access to content from Comcast, Verizon FiOS, and DirectTV, HBO and others for as little as $15 a month.
Authorities say the redistribution of the material allowed the trio to earn over $30 million between 2016 and 2019.
The YouTube star purchased a large home and fast cars, the Washington Post reported.
If found guilty, Carrasquillo can face up to 514 years behind bars.
Carrasquillo, 35, admitted to running a streaming business; however, he says he’s innocent of any wrongdoing. “I found a loophole, I ran through it, and I did great,” he told WTXF in his driveway this week after posting a $50,000 bail.
Donte Mills, Carrasquillo’s lawyer, defended his client and plans to prove his innocence in court.
“Mr. Carrasquillo tapped into a brand new, unregulated industry and was very successful,” Mills wrote. “Most people are called pioneers when they do that; Omar is called a criminal.”
