How sites like MegaUpload make millions from pirated video
Peter Yared
by Peter Yared February 10, 2012 10:23 AM PST

A lot of people have been asking me the same question lately: Just how do sites like MegaUpload--recently taken down by an international collection of law enforcement--make hundreds of millions of dollars a year and fund lottery-winner style lifestyles that include mansions and private jets?

It's actually pretty straightforward. These sites use the same techniques as legitimate Web sites: search, social media, ad networks, and online payment processors.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57373699-93/how-sites-like-megaupload-make-millions-from-pirated-video/