The FLVTO Lawsuit Explained

The case against FLVTO.biz and 2conv.com became one of the most watched stream-ripping lawsuits in the US. This page covers the verified timeline and key rulings, in plain language. It is a factual summary, not legal advice. This site is a new, separate tool, unaffiliated with the original operator.

Who was involved

• The sites: FLVTO.biz and 2conv.com, converter sites operated by Russian operator Tofig Kurbanov.
• The plaintiffs: major record labels, acting via the RIAA.
• The claim: facilitating mass copyright infringement by converting YouTube videos to MP3 downloads.

Timeline

2018: the lawsuit is filed

The record labels sued FLVTO.biz and 2conv.com in the US, accusing them of facilitating mass copyright infringement.

Jurisdiction fight

The sites initially won on jurisdiction (arguing a US court could not hear a case against a foreign operator), but an appeals court overturned that ruling, and the case proceeded.

2021: US and UK visitors blocked

The sites began blocking visitors from the US and UK, displaying a message that the service was "permanently unavailable" in those regions.

2022: the judgment

A Virginia federal court awarded $82,922,500 in statutory damages against the operator, covering 1,618 copyright infringements and DMCA violations.

What it means

• The case confirmed that US courts can reach foreign stream-ripping operators with substantial US traffic (FLVTO.biz drew about 94 million monthly visits at peak, roughly 12% from the US).
• Statutory damages can be enormous: $82.9 million across 1,618 infringements.
• The original service is effectively unavailable to US and UK users.

Where this tool stands

This site is a new, separate tool using the familiar name. It is not operated by Tofig Kurbanov and is not a party to that case. See what this tool is and the full story.