A group of individuals involved in the illegal streaming of Barclays Premier League football matches at discounted rates has been sentenced to jail in England. The Premier League announced that five men were found guilty of conspiracy to defraud, money laundering, and contempt of court. Over a period of five years, the gang managed to generate £7 million through their illicit streaming business.
Mark Gould, hailing from London, was identified as the mastermind behind the operation and received an 11-year prison sentence from Chesterfield Crown Court on May 31. Gould, aged 36, along with his co-defendants Peter Jolley, Steven Gordon, Christopher Felvus, and William Brown, facilitated unauthorized access to football match streams from hundreds of channels worldwide. Additionally, they provided tens of thousands of on-demand films and TV shows.
One member of the gang, Zak Smith, was not present during the sentencing, and the Premier League has issued a warrant for his arrest. The league disclosed that the illegal streaming business had around 30 employees, including an undercover operative from an anti-piracy company.
William Brown, a 33-year-old from Stoke-on-Trent, denied committing the offenses and claimed to be an undercover informant working in the interests of the law within the illegal operation. However, the jury unanimously convicted him after a seven-week trial. According to the Premier League, Brown utilized his technical skills to hack legitimate customer accounts, gaining access and copying streams. He also intended to shift the blame onto genuine customers if the operation was discovered by authorities.
The prosecution received support from Hammersmith & Fulham Council’s trading standards team and Fact, an organization dedicated to protecting intellectual property rights. Premier League’s General Counsel, Kevin Plumb, expressed satisfaction with the sentencing, stating that these were the longest sentences ever issued for piracy-related crimes. Plumb emphasized the connection between piracy and wider criminal activities and highlighted the importance of safeguarding the Premier League’s rights. He reaffirmed the league’s commitment to investigate and prosecute illegal operators in order to protect their rights and fans.
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