Man who sold 'dodgy' Fire Sticks is jailed for two years after £108,000 scam - as 'strong warning' is sent amid crackdown on illegal Premier League streaming
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A man has been jailed for two years after selling 'dodgy' Fire Sticks which allow users to watch pirate streams of Premier League matches. Sunny Kanda, 41, of Creek View, Wheatley, in Halifax infringed copyright laws when he sold the sticks. He cheated legitimate providers out of more than £108,000 across an 18-month period between 2020 and 2022.
![[The devices allow users to watch sports events free of charge through a 'jailbroken' device]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/05/10/93751409-14232957-image-m-29_1736071890722.jpg)
It comes amid a crackdown on illegal streaming after repeated warnings from the Premier League. The practice has become a major problem in sports - at least 20 million people illegally watched Tyson Fury's first fight with Oleksandr Usyk last May, costing brodcasters £80million in revenue.
![[A campaign has been launched to clamp down on the illegal practice, which is a major problem for broadcasters]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/05/10/89857641-14232957-The_full_list_of_areas_where_police_are_targeting_dodgy_Firestic-a-30_1736071915570.jpg)
Kanda pleaded guilty to three charges relating to fraud, copyright and concealing bank transfers linked to criminal activity. He was sentenced on Friday at York Crown Court. Sunny Kanda (pictured) has been jailed for two years after selling 'dodgy' Fire Sticks.
The devices allow users to watch sports events free of charge through a 'jailbroken' device. A campaign has been launched to clamp down on the illegal practice, which is a major problem for broadcasters. His customers were able to access a range of channels including Sky Sports, TNT Sports, Netflix, and Disney+. He ran a Facebook group for his hustle with 3,900 members.
A hearing will be held on May 7 will decide if financial orders will be imposed on him. The 'dodgy' Fire Sticks resemble their Amazon counterparts but are hacked or 'jailbroken' to give access to paywalled content for free. The Federation Against Copyright Theft's (FACT) has been clamping down on the crime.
