Alleged KickassTorrents Owner And Founder Released On $108,000 Bail

Alleged KickassTorrents owner and founder Artem Vaulin has been released on bail. He was arrested last year in July and held at Warsaw-Bialoleka Investigative Detention Center. His bail was set at $108,000. His lawyers said that conditions of prison weren’t as per the recommended standards. They are also looking forward to US Federal Court ruling.

Last year in July, KickassTorrents faced a major setback after the U.S. Government seized all the domains and arrested Artem Vaulin, the alleged owner of the website, from Ukraine. Later, the website made a comeback with a new domain.

In the latest development, Vaulin, who was held at Warsaw-Bialoleka Investigative Detention Center, has been granted bail. Before his release, The Verge sat down with Vaulin in his jail and discussed various aspects.

It goes without saying that KickassTorrents, launched in 2008, became the #1 choice of the pirates, thanks to its large catalog and easy-to-use interface. The government prosecutors said that KAT distributed $1 billion worth content and earned millions from ad revenue.

Currently out of jail, Vaulin has paid $108,000 to obtain bail. According to his lawyers, his passport is confiscated and he is living in a rented apartment in Warsaw with his wife and 5-year-old son.

Talking to The Verge, Vaulin’s wife Olga Nikolayeva said that he shared a 15-square-meter cell with three other people. The area had a toilet and two sets of bunk beds.

Tatuana Pacewicz, one of Vaulin’s lawyers said that the jail and Polish government failed to meet the standards set by EU.

Talking about the charges against him, Vaulin said that he has been advised not to discuss any specific details. However, he added, “I’m a businessman. When I start a business I consult lawyers. I was never told that anything I was involved in was against the law.”

Vaulin’s lawyers have expressed happiness and they are looking forward to the US Federal Court ruling on this case. “If the US indictment is defective then extradition based on the indictment is erroneous – Artem shouldn’t have to leave his family behind,” they added.

You can read the complete story here on The Verge.