Small Business Owners Demand Refunds from 'Drone Kid' Nir Krigel

Small business owners who previously paid settlements to Nir Krigel, known as the 'Drone Kid,' are now demanding a refund of up to 75% of the money they paid him. Krigel had sent letters of demand to these businesses, claiming copyright infringement. However, lawyers Aviv Azrad and Tzachi Feled have sent their own letters of demand to Krigel, challenging his claims.

According to the lawyers, Krigel demanded full copyright fees, but the legal case he cited was not exclusively his and had previously appeared in a 1970s Superman film. They argue that Krigel essentially admitted to taking the material, stating, 'We stole from you but you stole from Disney, right? That's the claim.'

Furthermore, the lawyers contend that composer Dan Peled is a co-creator of the work Krigel claimed copyright over. Peled himself described his contribution as creating a beat with harmony and melody for the song, helping Krigel elevate a basic idea into a song. If this claim is accepted, Krigel would not have been entitled to the full amount he received in settlements.

Azrad stated that this is just the first letter and the action is expected to expand. He explained that his clients discovered the co-creator only after reaching a settlement. 'You cannot demand 100% of a work when you don't have 100% rights to it, therefore we demand at least a proportional refund,' Azrad said. He also reiterated that the legal precedent Krigel used was from a previous client's work, meaning Krigel had no rights to it.

The dispute is far from over, with the lawyers indicating that more letters may be sent and other businesses that settled with Krigel might join the demand for partial refunds.