The notorious online soccer piracy network, Stream East, has been shut down following over 1.6 billion visits last year, as announced by the Anti-Piracy Union.
This closure came about through the efforts of the US-based Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) in partnership with authorities in Egypt.
According to ACE, Stream East was the largest illegal live sports streaming operation globally, with around 80 related domains.
“Today marks a significant victory in our efforts to combat digital copyright infringement, effectively dismantling one of the largest illegal platforms,” noted ACE.
Rivkin, the chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association, emphasized that this action benefits sports leagues, entertainment companies, and fans alike.
Two individuals were arrested in Cairo on August 24, suspected of copyright violations.
Investigators reportedly uncovered ties between advertising revenues and over $6 million connected to a shell company accused of cryptocurrency laundering.
Some properties in Egypt are thought to have been acquired with funds obtained illegally.
The two suspects were detained in El Sheikh Zaid, just west of Cairo. Authorities confiscated a laptop and smartphone believed to be used for operating the site.
In addition to seizing cash and multiple credit cards, connections to a UAE shell company that may have laundered around £42 million ($6.2 million) in advertising revenue since 2010 were also discovered, along with £150,000 ($200,000) in cryptocurrency. Several properties in Egypt are being investigated for possible illicit purchases.
Stream East had offered users unauthorized access to matches surpassing even Europe’s top soccer leagues.
Football piracy has surged in the last two decades, largely due to leagues selling games to expensive pay-per-view and streaming services, often requiring fans to manage multiple subscriptions.
Ed McCarthy, Chief Operating Officer of Dazn Streaming Group, stated, “This criminal enterprise drained value from all tiers of sport while jeopardizing fans globally. We commend the Egyptian authorities for their decisive actions.”
Beyond soccer, Stream East also catered to American sports piracy, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL, with the majority of site traffic reportedly coming from the US, Canada, the UK, the Philippines, and Germany.
All Stream East domains have since been redirected to the ACE Watch Watchally page.
