Two years in prison for illegal Firestick TV sellers
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A man who sold illegally modified Firestick TV devices that breached copyright laws has been jailed for two years.
Sunny Kanda, of Creek View, Wheatley, in Halifax, defrauded legitimate suppliers of more than £108,000 over an 18-month period between 2020 and 2022, a court heard.
The 41-year-old sold the illegal devices to Facebook, knowing they provided unauthorised access to premium content platforms including Sky, BT Sport, Disney+ and Netflix.
Kanda was sentenced on Friday at York Crown Court after pleading guilty in August to three counts of fraud, copyright infringement and concealment of wire transfers linked to criminal activity.
A hearing set for May 7 will decide whether the financial order can still be placed against him. 'A stark warning'
Kanda's activities were uncovered following an investigation by National Trading Standards, the local government and intellectual property organisation Fact.
An undercover investigator joined Kanda's closed Facebook group, which had more than 3,900 members, and purchased a Firestick.
Subsequent analysis revealed that the device had been modified to access premium movies, TV and live sports content without a subscription.
Following Kanda's sentencing, Kieron Sharp, CEO of Fact, said: "The outcome serves as a consequence for those involved in these criminal activities and a stark warning to others considering similar actions.
"Illegal streaming is not a victimless crime. "This undermines the creative industry, puts consumers at risk of data theft and often funds other serious crimes."