ATM operator Athena Bitcoin accused of stealing copyright source code

AML Software, a company registered in Illinois, has sued Athena Bitcoin and accused the Bitcoin ATM operator of trying to steal his source code, according to a complaint that was submitted on Tuesday.

In the 16-page document, AML software claimed that Athena is concerned with copyright infringement, the embezzlement of trade secrets and “a number of other illegal acts”, while they are reportedly trying to catch up with 3,000 machines from a third party that starts in 2023.

Decrypt has contacted Athena and AML software for comments.

AML software develops code that Bitcoin money machines feeds, and in his complaint the company described it as “guts” of various machines that allow customers to exchange cash for crypto. The lawsuit notes that the Code of AML software is protected by copyright.

The complaint mentioned various defendants, including Jordan Mirch, who is said to supervise and controls companies that abuse the software of AML in combination with Athena. The complaint claims that Mirch was the “motivating force” behind the scheme.

Decrypt Could not reach Mirch for comment.

Years ago a company called Sandp Solutions was in a difficult situation, the complaint said. The company was forbidden to operate Bitcoin money machines in Ohio, making it difficult to make a profit at 2,800 Bitcoin money machines, added the complaint.

As CEO of Taproot Acquisition Enterprises, Mirch is said to have succeeded in obtaining Sandp Solutions’ Bitcoin money machines’ by fraudulent wrong representation of things on (the company) and other illegal behavior ‘, which is subject to a separate lawsuit in Illinois.

The machines obtained by Mirch were reportedly powered by the AML software code. At a certain point, Athena reportedly asked about the purchase of the AML software code, but it decided not to continue with a deal.

An AML software developer was then contacted by Taproot by Taproot by Taproot and hired as a consultant. The complaint said, however, that the individual was not hired to write new code, but rather to try “incorrectly to acquire AML’s copyright -protected source code.”

AML software has never authorized the sale of its code, but Mirch and Taproot reportedly set up a silk with Athena to transfer it, along with the 2,800 ATMs, the Bitcoin ATM operator. According to the Athena website, the company operates 3,600 Bitcoin money machines nationwide.

“It is believed that Athena was fully aware that the source code and software platform that Mirch and the Taproot entities were planning to transfer to AML,” noted the complaint.

Athena under a settlement agreement of $ 9 million, Athena said That the ‘immediate ownership of ATMs and source code’ won, while it eliminated an agreement for sharing income with taproot and the corresponding entities.

The shares of Athena, which are freely available, rose by 5% to $ 0.0173 on Monday, according to Yahoo Finance. The company’s share price has fallen 84% the year to date.

The company is confronted with a separate lawsuit in Washington, DC, by Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb. He so -called Earlier this month, Athena benefited from scams against the elderly, while he charged up to 26% to hidden costs for ignorant customers.

In some cases, local law enforcement is used to brutal strength to help victims to restore funds that have been lost by scams, but some American courts have discovered that the money is from the ATM operator.

Although liberal legislators have been pronounced about creating new guarantees, the US Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-Wy) said on Tuesday that she intends to continue the problem Legislation for market structure Partly sponsored with Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).