Busted! UFC pirates weep after illegal streaming network with over a billion views gets zapped during global raid
Like Gravediggaz told you in 1994’s classic, 6 Feet Deep, there’s nowhere to run to, baby.
There’s nowhere to hide.
Streameast, the world’s largest illegal sports streaming platform with 1.6 billion views over the last year, has been shut down after a global collaboration between Europol, the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Centre.
Advertisement
The Athletic reported the bust on Weds. morning.
Last weekend’s raid in the Giza Governorate of Egypt led to two arrests and the seizure of laptops, smartphones, cash, credit cards, crypto, real estate properties, and evidence of a money-laundering network.
Sounds like there was a lot going on beyond the illegal streaming of sporting events.
“Dismantling Streameast is a major victory for everyone who invests in and relies on the live sports ecosystem,” said Ed McCarthy, COO of DAZN Group. “This criminal operation was siphoning value from sports at every level and putting fans across the world at risk.”
Advertisement
UFC fans who rely on illegal streaming sites — at great personal risk — are no doubt celebrating the end of pay-per-view (PPV) following the promotion’s deal with Paramount Plus, which includes marquee events on CBS. That said, sports brands of all kinds have been hemorrhaging viewers as a result of PPV piracy.
No word yet on whether or not the suspects in custody have been “crying and begging” for mercy.
