MediaMuv Chiefs Hit with $20M Music Royalty Thefts

PHOENIX, Ariz. – The grimy halls of justice echo with charges against Jose Teran and Webster Batista, who are accused of orchestrating a $20 million music royalty heist through their company, MediaMuv.

Teran, 36, of Scottsdale, Arizona, and his co-conspirator Batista, 38, from Doral, Florida, appeared in federal court today, facing charges including Conspiracy, Wire Fraud, Transactional Money Laundering, and Aggravated Identity Theft. Their alleged scheme, which spanned from 2016 to the present, involved fraudulent claims over 50,000+ songs monetized by a third-party company.

The duo’s MediaMuv initially claimed legal rights over the music on February 13, 2017, executing false agreements with two third parties. They pocketed royalties generated by top artists, while failing to compensate the artists or their reps. The indictment further reveals the use of stolen identities to create a false workforce and ownership claims.

Both defendants could face up to 37 years in prison if convicted, including a mandatory 2-year sentence for identity theft. The penalties also include fines totalling $1 million. An investigation by IRS – Criminal Investigation led to their arrest.

Despite the serious charges, an indictment does not imply guilt; innocence is presumed until proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Raymond K. Woo and Seth T. Goertz of the District of Arizona in Phoenix.

CASE NUMBER: CR21-0955-PHX-DLR | RELEASE NUMBER: 2021-090_Batista