Illegal Streaming Gang Must Repay £3.75 Million

Five individuals who were part of an illegal streaming gang, responsible for streaming Premier League games, have been ordered by the court to repay their earnings, totaling £3.75m. This action comes after their sentencing in May 2023, where the gang members, including Mark Gould, were collectively sentenced to over 30 years in prison. Described as the mastermind behind the operation, Gould was directed by Derby Crown Court to return £2.35m within three months or face an additional decade behind bars.

The illegal streaming service, known as Flawless TV, amassed over £7m from 2016 to 2021, with more than 50,000 customers, resellers, and employees involved in the operation. The court also initiated similar proceedings against the other defendants, requiring them to pay back a combined total of over £1.4m, under threat of extended prison sentences.

This significant sum, amounting to £3.75m, marks one of the largest confiscation orders issued in the UK against operators of an illegal streaming service. The funds will be reallocated, with 50% going to the Treasury and the other half distributed among those involved in the prosecution, such as the courts, prosecuting authority, and financial investigators.

The Premier League, backed by various organizations like Hammersmith & Fulham Council’s Trading Standards team and FACT, spearheaded the legal action through a rare private prosecution. Stefan Sergot, the Premier League director of legal enforcement, emphasized the importance of these confiscation proceedings in deterring similar criminal activities. Additionally, Doug Love, Principal Trading Standards Investigator at Hammersmith & Fulham Council, echoed the sentiment, highlighting the severe consequences faced by those tempted to engage in such illegal practices.

The collaborative efforts to bring these individuals to justice serve as a stern warning to others contemplating similar offenses. The record-setting sentences and substantial confiscation orders issued in this case underscore the severity and extent of these crimes, reinforcing the commitment to combat illegal streaming activities.