A man previously jailed for selling illegal streaming devices that provided unauthorised access to Premier League matches has been ordered to repay nearly £1 million. Steven King, convicted of conspiracy to defraud in 2019 and sentenced to seven years and four months in prison, must now forfeit £963,000 within three months or face an additional six years and eight months behind bars.
The ruling was made at Warwick Crown Court on Monday. The Premier League, which brought the original private prosecution in collaboration with the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT), confirmed it requested the recovered funds go to the public purse, including law enforcement agencies.
Kevin Plumb, Premier League general counsel, stated: 'This result clearly shows that supplying illegal streams is a criminal offence leading to prison sentences and significant financial consequences.' He added that the Premier League continues to work with law enforcement to tackle piracy and educate fans on the dangers of unauthorised streams.
Kieron Sharp, FACT chief executive, warned: 'This is a warning to anyone selling subscriptions or devices that allow access to content without remunerating the legitimate provider – you risk time in jail and the loss of your properties, cars and other proceeds of crime.'
