UK man sentenced to over six years for running illegal IPTV operation
A 68-year-old man, Milan Ibrahim, was sentenced to more than six years in prison for operating an illegal IPTV service that generated £980,812 ($1.3 million) over three years. The operation used 80 servers in Chorley, which were seized and shut down by the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit. Ibrahim will also face Proceeds of Crime Act proceedings to recover the money.
The investigation, led by the City of London Police's intellectual property unit, uncovered a large-scale operation based in Chorley where 80 servers delivered pirated content to subscribers both domestically and internationally. The service illegally redistributed programming from major broadcasters and sports leagues, including the Premier League, which described the network as one of the UK's most established pirate suppliers.
Beyond the prison sentence, authorities are pursuing asset recovery through Proceeds of Crime Act proceedings to reclaim the nearly £1 million in illicit earnings. The server seizure could also expose end-users, who may face fines or legal consequences for their involvement. Ibrahim had previously been linked to a dissolved company marketing IPTV software, though no official connection to the illegal service was established.
This sentencing could serve as a deterrent to others operating similar pirate streaming networks, signaling that law enforcement is actively pursuing these cases with significant penalties. Consumers who used the service may face legal exposure if their data was captured in the server seizure, potentially leading to fines. The case may also encourage rights holders to continue investing in anti-piracy enforcement, which could ultimately shape how streaming services price their legitimate offerings.