The former operator of Viking IPTV in Sweden is facing millions of dollars worth of damages from anti-piracy authorities. Sweden’s Patent and Market Court has sentenced a man for his involvement in the operations of Viking IPTV, a once popular IPTV service.
The man, long suspected of operating the platform, was found guilty of violating copyright law. He received a suspended prison sentence and is required to pay fines and damages. Claims from movie and TV companies against him total $1.8 million.
Background of Viking IPTV
Last December, the Swedish anti-piracy group Rights Alliance reported that a local prosecutor had filed an indictment against the man suspected of being behind Viking IPTV. Viking IPTV is a well-known brand in the Scandinavian pirate market, and business has reportedly been brisk.
A police cryptocurrency expert revealed that clusters of bitcoin wallets connected to the suspect received around 308 bitcoins between 2018 and 2022, valued at over $20 million at today’s rates. A district court had previously decided that up to SEK 16,250,000 ($1,512,000) could be seized, and police managed to secure 12.7 bitcoins worth SEK 5 million ($465,300) at today’s rates.
Extensive Evidence Against the Operator
Rights Alliance reported that an extensive preliminary investigation had found substantial evidence of the man’s involvement in Viking IPTV and illegal IPTV activities. During a raid, police found open windows on the man’s computer displaying information about the service and its scope. Evidence was also found on computers and phones, including chat logs on Telegram and Skype.
Viking IPTV reportedly had several thousand subscribers. As part of the investigation, an unspecified number of subscribers were interviewed.
Sentencing and Legal Proceedings
On Friday, Rights Alliance announced that the man had been sentenced by Sweden’s Patent and Market Court in Stockholm. The man’s mobile phone showed that he had logged into Viking IPTV’s support email account and administered the service’s Facebook page.
Found guilty of violating Sweden’s Copyright Act, the man received a suspended prison sentence and daily fines. However, the specifics of the sentence, suspension duration, and the value of the daily fines are currently unknown. No official court documents have been released, and Rights Alliance has not disclosed the details.
Damages to Be Paid to Plaintiffs
The plaintiffs in the case include film companies SF and Nordisk Film, along with several unspecified TV companies. Rights Alliance reported that the Patent and Market Court awarded damages to all plaintiffs, with TV companies receiving the majority share.
“The film companies SF and Nordisk Film demanded almost SEK 3 million ($279,800) in damages, which was largely awarded. The court accepted the rights holders’ claim as well substantiated,” Rights Alliance stated.
In total, the damages claims exceed SEK 16 million ($1,492,000), with a significant portion allocated to the television companies based on their claims.
Conclusion
The sentencing of the Viking IPTV operator represents a significant victory for anti-piracy efforts in Sweden, showcasing the severe legal repercussions for involvement in illegal IPTV services. This case underscores the ongoing struggle against such operations.
For more information on this story, refer to the Rights Alliance press release and the report from TorrentFreak.
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