A man has been jailed for illegally selling online subscriptions to watch football matches after being found guilty of copyright crimes between 2017 and 2021.
Paul Merrell, 42, of Sutton Coldfield, allegedly made ‘substantial income’ from unlawful Premier League streams by using the alias ‘Media Maverick’. This is according to testimony given in a court proceeding on Friday.
He entered a guilty plea to the charges of having, offering for sale, or distributing a gadget intended to get around technical controls. As well as offering, pushing, publicizing, or marketing a service with that exact objective in mind.
Merrell was given a 12-month prison sentence and mandated to repay £91,243 after Birmingham Crown Court issued a confiscation order against him.
According to the BBC as reported by SportBible, the court was informed that customers could stream Premier League matches and other television programming for a fee. But only if they had permission from reputable providers.
Using Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) technology, the convict made it possible for users to stream Premier League football games and other premium TV shows. IPTV delivers TV content through Internet Protocol, or broadband services.
The 42-year-old, who has been called the largest pirate service in the UK, also served as a reseller for ‘Flawless,’ according to testimony given to the court.
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Five members of the operation were found culpable of conspiring to commit fraud in May. One defendant was also found guilty of money laundering. And the other two were found guilty of contempt of court.
The convictions carried a combined jail sentence of more than 30 years.
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