Man charged with selling illegal streaming devices, offering to install software to watch pirated shows

Source: Yahoo News

SINGAPORE -- A Singaporean man and two companies he owned were charged in court with selling illegal streaming devices and offering to install relevant computer programs to help customers watch pirated shows.

Ge Xin, 36, was charged with infringing the copyright of companies like Disney, Netflix and the Football Association Premier League, as his actions allowed access to copyrighted shows that these companies owned, local media outlet CNA reported.

Other copyright infringements Ge was accused of include Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore by Warner Bros, Discovery Channel by Discovery and Top Gun Maverick by Paramount Pictures.

He is currently facing 24 charges under the Copyright Act for distributing or selling devices to access works without the copyright owner's authority.

Two of his companies - which had shopfronts in Sim Lim Square - MY Gadget+ and Grandnew received 12 charges each, reported CNA.

Ge and his businesses' alleged illegal activities were first uncovered when officers from the Criminal Investigation Department conducted raids at Sim Lim Square on 4 October 2022.

The police seized more than 400 sets of illegal streaming devices from Ge's two shops during the raid.

The police arrested four women and 13 men for their suspected involvement in selling illegal streaming devices and seized over 2,500 sets of illegal streaming devices that were valued at more than $500,000.

This was the first crackdown made known to public after the law that banned the sale of illegal streaming devices and software in September 2021.

If found guilty, Ge could be jailed for up to five years and fined up to $100,000. The companies could be fined up to $200,000 each. The cases have been adjourned for pre-trial conferences.

Earlier this month, the English Premier League obtained a court order from Singapore's High Court to force internet service providers to block 25 of the most popular illegal streaming sites for football matches in Singapore, part of the league's efforts to tackle illegal streaming throughout Asia.