An order has been issued for the operators of two bootleg streaming services to compensate $30 million in damages due to copyright violation.
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Despite the lawsuit’s inception in 2021 against these bootleg IPTV services, only recently has the MPA and its members managed to recuperate $30 million in damages.
Bootleg Streaming Services Obliged to Compensate $30 Million for Violations
AllAccessTV and Quality Restreams are the services in question. These are two US-based pirate streaming operations that supplied numerous live channels, VOD packages, and more.
AllAccessTV (AATV) was a live TV service advertising over 2,000 live channels, VOD content, and additional offerings for less than $20 per month.
The alleged operator of AllAccessTV (AATV) is Dwayne Johnson, a Texas resident.
Connected service Quality Restreams allegedly furnished unauthorized movies and TV shows to other bootleg streaming providers, including AATV.
An intriguing part of this situation was that the lawsuit alleged AATV’s false representation as a VPN provider.
Most IPTV providers take significant measures to conceal their identity, but the lawsuit disclosed that the MPA had already identified Dwayne Johnson as a manager of VPN Safe Vault LLC, the entity allegedly behind the ‘VPN’ site.
Despite initial resistance from Johnson’s legal team, the defense argued that targeting a VPN platform would be “an illegal trade restriction.”
In May 2022, the parties notified the court of their willingness to consider a settlement while proceeding with discovery regardless.
Set for trial in July this year, the studios and Johnson reached an agreement on March 16 to cease hostilities.
The settlement includes a permanent injunction against any unauthorized copying, storing, and distribution of copyrighted content to internet users, whether directly or indirectly through third parties.
Johnson also committed not to “distribute, transfer, or provide any source code, object code, or other technology,” including domain names, trademarks, brands, assets, or goodwill associated with the AATV and Quality Restreams services.
District Court Judge Andre Birotte Jr approved the permanent injunction, along with a judgment in favor of the plaintiffs for copyright violation and an award for damages.
“Damages are awarded in favor of Plaintiffs and against Defendant, in the total amount of thirty million dollars ($30 million),” the judgment reads.
For more information on this story, you can read the report on TorrentFreak and the official legal documentation (PDF).
This is not the first time well-known IPTV services have faced legal issues or been shut down.
- Top Piracy Threats Reported to US Government
- Marvel Streams IPTV Operator Arrested
- Smooth Streams Shut Down by ACE
- Iconic Streams Shut Down by ACE
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