Illegal streaming has been on the rise recently due to financial difficulties faced by many UK households. Seeking cheaper alternatives to access premium content, a significant number of households have turned to unofficial platforms that offer full content at a fraction of the legitimate price.
Despite its allure, illegal streaming has faced increased scrutiny, leading to the shutdown of a popular service that provided unauthorized access to content, including Sky channels. This shutdown has left subscribers who had paid for the service at a loss.
Nishan Silva, a 34-year-old individual from Hitchin, has been sentenced to three years in prison for his involvement in managing an illicit IPTV service known as Andy UTV and Ultimate TV Service. Silva, a former accountant, admitted to charges such as distributing copyrighted material and using criminal proceeds.
The illegal platform operated by Silva catered to a large audience in the UK and is estimated to have generated substantial revenue amounting to hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Detective Constable Daryl Fryatt from the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit described Silva as a skilled accountant who misused his expertise and position for criminal activities. The authorities emphasized their commitment to combating illegal streaming activities that divert funds from the entertainment industry and pose risks to end-users, such as data theft and malware exposure.
Matt Hibbert, Group Director of Anti-Piracy at Sky, commended the efforts of the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit in pursuing the case and reiterated the company’s dedication to combating content theft and safeguarding consumers from the dangers associated with illegal streaming.
In addition to legal repercussions, illegal streaming exposes users to various risks, including malware and inappropriate content.