I'd like to comment on the how to move forward based off of some of the comments. I say, if you have the code, you move forward. Especially with regards to James's comment that Slysoft owes them money. There's a bunch of grey areas here. Do you move forward and make money off of Slysoft? I don't see it as you making money off of them if they owe you money. You are not necessarily stealing. You move forward cause the demand is there and you built it. And who are you stealing from? Slysoft doesn't exist. Now if it becomes profitable again, and you get your back pay, then I do think you have to as an internal group decide on what you are going to pay to slysoft. However if no one in your group feels slysoft is owed, then you don't pay them. You guys have to decide on this based on how it was setup. If you all wrote the code and slysoft just provided some infrastructure, didn't pay you, but profited from you and left you now high and dry (which is all what it sounds like) then you don't owe them jack, and you need to take your work and move on.
I think slysoft just provided you infrastructure. You can do that on your own. But you guys need to go completely anonymous so the US government and the AACS-LA can't touch you. Forget a "company". Setup hosting which can be done anonymous. Continue building it anonymous. Go bitcoin for the pay which will allow you guys to not have to worry about credit cards and a money trail. Lots of groups on the internet are doing that, and with the intent to actually harm others. That's not you. You guys are building a product that gives people the right to backup what is their's. You're not breaking any laws that shouldn't exist. Hollywood doesn't want this cause they want consumers to have to watch it the way they deem. That's bulls**t. So screw them.
I think the question is why not. Is this morally / ethically / legally a grey area? That depends and I'll get to that. But who really cares if you move it all anonymous and get paid. And I think that last sentence is the key here.
There are arguments to be made if this is ok, a good idea, etc. I'll post a few thoughts. Are they stealing and making money off of Slysoft? Well, no, but maybe yes. I covered that above I think. Can slysoft come after them for taking it and running with it? Umm, not really. And even if they could, as long as they go anonymous with it, which is possible in today's internet, then slysoft can't really do anything to stop them. But I will say again if Slysoft does pay your money's owed or you recoup it and then some, then internally have a discussion if you start paying back your employer. If you don't move forward, then you're out what's owed and you never get anything back. If you do go forward, you have a chance to continue making a living off of it, and at some point paying your employer again IF you deem so. Win win for you, slysoft, and your users.
Let's not forget here that I think slysoft coming after them if they go forward with it is the least of the worries here. If they stay anonymous with it, then you can't sue an anoymous target. Does slysoft have the resources to even sue? From what I gather no. And how are you going to sue an anonymous target on a product that itself is illegal. That probably doesn't pass a legal laugh test. The bigger concern is the US gov and the AACS-LA coming after them. That IS a concern. So stay anonymous and structure this with anonymity so they can't hurt you. Look at torrents, they keep trying to stop that and it just keeps on coming. You guys cracking UHD and ACCS 2.0 is going to be a boon. I bet you've already done it honestly. Folks will flock.
All you need to do is get a web host that can't be touched, and that isn't that hard. Setup the forums and figure out the pay angle. I strongly recommend bitcoin and one trusted person to manage the funds and distribute to the rest. But everyone should be able to see it in your group for transparity. Hopefully you have the OPD and source code already backed up so you just need to setup the forms again.
You need to change the pay model though. You need to make it profitable. I don't think the old structure was profitable. It needs to be a max yearly license. Are people going to bitch, yes. But they'll pay cause you are offering what isn't elsewhere available. Supply = Demand. I say $100 for a yearly license. I don't know the previous profitability but you do have to deal with that to move forward.
Lots of folks on here will help you, and even across the internet. Ask for help, people are just waiting for you to. Get a plan together on your internal structure, get a anonymous host setup, get bitcoin setup and move forward. We're all here to help you.