Setplex, a White Plains company that distributes TV programs over the internet, claims that an Albanian company used strong-arm tactics to cut off its access to Albanian sports shows.
Setplex sued DigitAlb, of Tirana, Albania, for $2 million, claiming breach of contract, unjust enrichment, interference and trade libel.
Setplex sells subscriptions to DigitAlb”™s Albanian language television programs. It distributes them over the internet, operating as TVAlb in the United States.
DigitAlb had sued Setplex in 2017 for $30 million to $60 million, charging copyright infringement and communication piracy. It claimed that Setplex, operated by Lionel and Benjamin Dreshaj, was illegally distributing its programs.
The companies came to terms in 2018, according to Setplex”™s new lawsuit. DigitAlb agreed to license all of its programs to Setplex, retroactively to January 2017 and continuing through 2019. Setplex agreed to pay €140,000 for past programming and €500,000 annually in 2018 and 2019.
DigitAlb allegedly terminated the sports programs in late 2018, claiming that they were not included in the license. Setplex says the sports programs were part of the deal, but it agreed to amend the license, to resolve the dispute, for an additional €50,000 a year.
In August 2019, DigitAlb again cut off access to sports programs, the complaint states, “as leverage to demand the immediate payment of €275,000.”
Setplex also accuses DigitAlb of hiring an Italian company, Securebit, to engage in a defamation campaign.
Securebit, also named as a defendant, allegedly called Setplex a pirate and an illegal internet TV provider, on social media platforms and websites.
Securebit CEO Ezio Amodio responded in a court filing that DigitAlb hired his company to monitor and protect its online intellectual property.
After the Setplex license expired at the end of last year, he states, Securebit found evidence that Setplex was still streaming DigitAlb programs. It then notified social media platforms and the Italian government of violations.
The lawsuit was originally filed in Westchester Supreme Court and was moved Oct. 10 to federal court in White Plains.
Setplex is represented by Manhattan attorney Christopher J. Sovak; DigitAlb by Chicago attorney Richard E. Steck; and Securebit by Florida attorney Giacomo Bossa.
