Our thoughts are with everyone affected by COVID-19 during this extraordinary time. In the current circumstances, the demand for online content is set to increase significantly over the coming weeks. Where there is an increase in content consumption, online piracy is significant. At FACT we have over three decades of experience in protecting content for … Continued
Two men have been sentenced at St Albans Crown Court after being found guilty of selling television devices which enable access to paid for services dishonestly. Thomas Tewelde from Acton, West London and Mohamed Abdou from Tonbridge, Kings Cross have each been sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years. They must pay £1000 … Continued
A criminal found guilty of supplying illegal streaming devices (ISDs) providing unauthorised access to Premier League content has been ordered to pay back more than £520,000, to the ‘public purse’. In April 2018, John Dodds was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison having pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to defraud. Dodds sold ISDs to hundreds … Continued
A man has received a 16-month prison sentence and has been ordered to pay over £10,000 after he pleaded guilty to five offences at Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates Court. In 2019 the National Trading Standards Investigation Team (Wales) led a project, partnered with FACT, to investigate TV boxes available for sale online by Wales-based traders. As … Continued
On Wednesday 26th February FACT investigators and the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU) attended an address in the North West to execute search warrants related to a significant provider of illegal streaming activity. This service has now been disrupted. Sergeant Ross Tutton from the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit said: “Today’s action … Continued
Two men have been found guilty of selling television devices, which enabled access to paid for services dishonestly, at St Albans Crown Court, on Friday 31 January. Thomas Tewelde from Acton, West London and Mohamed Abdou from Tonbridge, Kings Cross, were found guilty of intentionally encouraging consumers to access film and sport services, without subscription, … Continued
On Monday 20th January 2020, Mr. Thomas Conneely of the Dick Whittington[1] was convicted in his absence of three offences of dishonest reception of a television transmission, in this case, Sky televised football matches, with the intent to avoid payment of the applicable charge. Sky Sports is only available to licensed premises in the UK … Continued
Following a guilty plea of copyright and fraud charges earlier this year for selling subscriptions providing illegally obtained content, a man has been sentenced at Truro Crown Court. Steven Underwood (also known as Steven Isaac) has been sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, after he previously pleaded guilty in November 2019 to … Continued
• Using a device to stream or watch TV, sports or films without an official subscription is breaking the law • Making unauthorised streams of TV, sports or films available is also illegal • This year, Umar Shazad was ordered to pay legal costs of more than £12,000 for re-streaming Sky Sports content illegally The … Continued
Following an investigation by Cornwall Council Trading Standards into illegal television streaming services, a man admitted copyright and fraud charges at Truro Magistrates Court on Wednesday 20th November 2019. Steven Underwood (also known as Steven Isaac), previously of Killiers Court, Illogan, near Redruth faced two charges under the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 and … Continued