Topline: Authorities have taken down Streameast, a major piracy network that illegally streamed a wide variety of live sports. Here’s how it went down.
Published: September 9, 2025 8:00 am ET
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LOS ANGELES, CA — Working with Egyptian authorities, the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) dismantled Streameast, an illegal live sports streaming network.
According to The Athletic, the shutdown happened on August 24 and was a year-long effort between ACE and Egyptian law enforcement.
Streameast was the world’s largest illicit operation of its kind, logging more than 1.6 billion visits in the past year through its 80 associated domains, according to an ACE press release.
Streameast illegally streamed a wide range of sports, including Premier League and Champions League soccer, as well as NFL, MLB, and NBA games. It also offered pirated access to pay-per-view events like Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fights and motorsports (including Formula One and Moto GP).
The network’s main audience came from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the Philippines, and Germany.
The joint operation led to the arrest of two men in Egypt. Authorities seized laptops and smartphones they believe were used to run the site.
The raid also found a shell company that may have laundered $6.2 million in advertising revenue. Investigators also found about $200,000 in cryptocurrency. It’s likely the illegal money was used to buy multiple properties in Egypt.
ACE is an anti-piracy group that includes companies like Amazon, Paramount Pictures, and Netflix. It worked with several government agencies, including Europol, the U.S. Department of Justice, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Centre.
Charles Rivkin, chairman of ACE, stated in the press release that the raid was a “resounding victory” against digital piracy. Rivkin also serves as the chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association (MPA) and said ”our global alliance will stay on the field as long as it takes to identify and target the biggest piracy rings across the globe.”
Cameron Andrews, the legal director for anti-piracy at beIN MEDIA GROUP, congratulated ACE on the enforcement action. According to the ACE press release, Andrews stated that “piracy is not a victimless crime” and “undermines the entire sports economy.” He added that the operation “proves that with strong international cooperation and robust enforcement, no illegal network is beyond reach.”
After the sting, the old Streameast domains redirected users to the ACE “Watch Legally” page. That page points people toward official, paid streaming services.
However, a recent report from The Times of India stated that an X account, which claims to belong to Streameast, denies the shutdown and says the service is still active. Due to the network’s history of bouncing back, it remains unclear if Streameast will stay offline.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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How Illegal Sports Streaming Giant Streameast Was Shut Down in International Sting
Authorities have taken down Streameast, a major piracy network that illegally streamed a wide variety of live sports. Here’s how it went down.
By Kate Byrd
Published: September 9, 2025 8:00 am ET
LOS ANGELES, CA — Working with Egyptian authorities, the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) dismantled Streameast, an illegal live sports streaming network.
According to The Athletic, the shutdown happened on August 24 and was a year-long effort between ACE and Egyptian law enforcement.
Streameast was the world’s largest illicit operation of its kind, logging more than 1.6 billion visits in the past year through its 80 associated domains, according to an ACE press release.
Streameast illegally streamed a wide range of sports, including Premier League and Champions League soccer, as well as NFL, MLB, and NBA games. It also offered pirated access to pay-per-view events like Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fights and motorsports (including Formula One and Moto GP).
The network’s main audience came from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the Philippines, and Germany.
The joint operation led to the arrest of two men in Egypt. Authorities seized laptops and smartphones they believe were used to run the site.
The raid also found a shell company that may have laundered $6.2 million in advertising revenue. Investigators also found about $200,000 in cryptocurrency. It’s likely the illegal money was used to buy multiple properties in Egypt.
ACE is an anti-piracy group that includes companies like Amazon, Paramount Pictures, and Netflix. It worked with several government agencies, including Europol, the U.S. Department of Justice, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Centre.
Charles Rivkin, chairman of ACE, stated in the press release that the raid was a “resounding victory” against digital piracy. Rivkin also serves as the chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association (MPA) and said ”our global alliance will stay on the field as long as it takes to identify and target the biggest piracy rings across the globe.”
Cameron Andrews, the legal director for anti-piracy at beIN MEDIA GROUP, congratulated ACE on the enforcement action. According to the ACE press release, Andrews stated that “piracy is not a victimless crime” and “undermines the entire sports economy.” He added that the operation “proves that with strong international cooperation and robust enforcement, no illegal network is beyond reach.”
After the sting, the old Streameast domains redirected users to the ACE “Watch Legally” page. That page points people toward official, paid streaming services.
However, a recent report from The Times of India stated that an X account, which claims to belong to Streameast, denies the shutdown and says the service is still active. Due to the network’s history of bouncing back, it remains unclear if Streameast will stay offline.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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Editor Picks
Latest Articles
How Illegal Sports Streaming Giant Streameast Was Shut Down in International Sting
Authorities have taken down Streameast, a major piracy network that illegally streamed a wide variety of live sports. Here’s how it went down.
By Kate Byrd
Published: September 9, 2025 8:00 am ET
LOS ANGELES, CA — Working with Egyptian authorities, the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) dismantled Streameast, an illegal live sports streaming network.
According to The Athletic, the shutdown happened on August 24 and was a year-long effort between ACE and Egyptian law enforcement.
Streameast was the world’s largest illicit operation of its kind, logging more than 1.6 billion visits in the past year through its 80 associated domains, according to an ACE press release.
Streameast illegally streamed a wide range of sports, including Premier League and Champions League soccer, as well as NFL, MLB, and NBA games. It also offered pirated access to pay-per-view events like Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fights and motorsports (including Formula One and Moto GP).
The network’s main audience came from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the Philippines, and Germany.
The joint operation led to the arrest of two men in Egypt. Authorities seized laptops and smartphones they believe were used to run the site.
The raid also found a shell company that may have laundered $6.2 million in advertising revenue. Investigators also found about $200,000 in cryptocurrency. It’s likely the illegal money was used to buy multiple properties in Egypt.
ACE is an anti-piracy group that includes companies like Amazon, Paramount Pictures, and Netflix. It worked with several government agencies, including Europol, the U.S. Department of Justice, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Centre.
Charles Rivkin, chairman of ACE, stated in the press release that the raid was a “resounding victory” against digital piracy. Rivkin also serves as the chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association (MPA) and said ”our global alliance will stay on the field as long as it takes to identify and target the biggest piracy rings across the globe.”
Cameron Andrews, the legal director for anti-piracy at beIN MEDIA GROUP, congratulated ACE on the enforcement action. According to the ACE press release, Andrews stated that “piracy is not a victimless crime” and “undermines the entire sports economy.” He added that the operation “proves that with strong international cooperation and robust enforcement, no illegal network is beyond reach.”
After the sting, the old Streameast domains redirected users to the ACE “Watch Legally” page. That page points people toward official, paid streaming services.
However, a recent report from The Times of India stated that an X account, which claims to belong to Streameast, denies the shutdown and says the service is still active. Due to the network’s history of bouncing back, it remains unclear if Streameast will stay offline.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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