Super Bowl Piracy Raid: 'Operation Fake Sweep' Takes Down Sports Streaming Sites

Federal authorities have seized more than 300 websites, including several popular sports streaming sites, as part of a nationwide crackdown on Internet counterfeiting and piracy.

Sixteen of the sites, including Firstrowsports.tv, Firstrowsports.com and Soccertvlive.net, were taken down for illegally streaming live sporting telecasts over the Internet, according to authorities. Another 291 websites were taken down on charges of illegally selling and distributing counterfeit merchandise, according to a statement from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Yonjo Quiroa, 28, of Comstock Park, Mich., was arrested Wednesday on charges of criminal copyright infringement for allegedly operating websites that illegally streamed live sporting event telecasts and pay-per-view events over the Internet, authorities said. Authorities said Quiroa operated nine of the 16 streaming websites that were seized, and he operated them from his home in Michigan until Wednesday's arrest.

The website seizures were part "Operation Fake Sweep," one of several phases of "Operation In Our Sites," an ongoing law enforcement initiative targeting counterfeiting and piracy on the Internet. The timing of the seizure - just days before the Super Bowl - is similar to a crackdown last year of several domains belonging major sports streaming sites just before the heavily-watched football game, according to Torrent Freak.

A press release posted online on Thursday by the U.S. Immigration and Customs department said that $4.8 million worth of counterfeit NFL merchandise was also confiscated as part of the raid.

The piracy crackdown comes just weeks after authorities seized the Web site Megaupload, an online file-sharing site, in one of the largest criminal copyright cases ever.

Comments

[Joseph C Gioconda]

03:42 PM on 02/07/2012

In order to assist IP owners battle the problem of Internet Piracy, we developed cutting-edge software, to read more go to www.RogueFinder.com

[bobknot131]

08:48 AM on 02/06/2012

they're going over board with this piracy b.s.

[Ant]

09:07 PM on 02/05/2012

They should considered going over to foreign domains so the US can't seize them.

[China Rules]

03:06 AM on 02/06/2012

"They" do, but you don't read about that on American media.

Firstrowsports is back on on Firstrowsports.eu .

[fraaext2]

05:33 PM on 02/05/2012

I'd just like to remind my younger citizens of the USA that the nfl superbowl got so big from airing the game on network television, which still airs the game for free over the tv airwaves. It is criminal that my son, who is overseas, has to pay for the nfl network in order to see the game which is free to my aunt who refuses to pay for tv. What is happening? When will we be forced to pay to breathe?

[stealur]

09:26 AM on 02/05/2012

Shame. I paid for NHL GameCenter. Half the games I want to see are broadcast on NHL Network, so they are blocked out on the NHL's own paid service. I have to stream those as I can't get NHL Network. WTF do they want me to do? I give them money and still can't get the content I'm paying for.

[bighairypussy]

01:18 AM on 02/05/2012

so how is this different? http://www.firstrowsports.eu

[netzwerg]

04:16 AM on 02/05/2012

No difference in content.
Only difference is, this .eu website uses an European domain now, that the US can't seize.

[Mic Flo]

11:22 AM on 02/05/2012

great broadcast to the world so they can shut this one down too. idiot.

[PTerrys]

08:20 PM on 02/04/2012

The Super Bowl has always been broadcast for free, and recently free in HD. Some of you people are paranoid.

[JamesAndre]

09:32 PM on 02/04/2012

Free broadcasts aren't the issue. Most sports are broadcast for free.

[PTerrys]

09:55 PM on 02/04/2012

nba is usually on cable and premium stations. same with baseball, soccer, and other international sports. basically just football, tennis, gymnastics, winter sports, figure skating, dog shows, and golf is free.

but yeah free broadcasts are the issue for the super bowl.

in general, though, if people are violating the law, which is old, and create secondary broadcasts of other broadcasts, then they are committing unlawful acts. doesn't make them bad, just on the wrong side of a legislation. we can all just watch the crap legally or wait until another scofflaw comes along and makes another pirate station.

i mean we live in a capitalist society... nothing is free. now, if you want to talk about changing that... i'm good to go.

[SickHippie]

05:49 PM on 02/04/2012

The timing has nothing to do with the Super Bowl being tomorrow, right? I mean, our government would NEVER do something questionably legal just because of pressure from corporate interests, right?

[PTerrys]

08:16 PM on 02/04/2012

no, they seized sites that stream basketball and figure skating and tennis and soccer and all the other sports that they know about. they've been systematically shutting down all the stuff that makes it possible to live without cable.

the timing is a coincidence.

besides the Super Bowl is broadcast for free.

[SickHippie]

11:00 PM on 02/04/2012

The timing is never a coincidence. Never.

[Eric Echevarria]

02:23 PM on 02/04/2012

Ron Paul should be looking better and better to most of us as the federal government continues to build their fascist control grid. I hope we all begin to realize what is really at stake here in America. We are at a crossroads. This election could very well be our last opportunity to turn this around.

So many of us don’t realize how late it is… how dark it is. WAKE UP people. We are in danger.

[PTerrys]

08:19 PM on 02/04/2012

ron paul will either side with states or corporations (he can't give any more power to federal government---i.e. he will be powerless). which means companies that are now people will be able to crack down on websites as personal lawsuits. you probably like that idea tho. until you realize that the police and fbi will be working for the companies with the best lawyers. i'm sure you'll be fine, though. you were smart enough to see all the dangers everyone else missed.

[Eric Echevarria]

09:17 AM on 02/07/2012

The point is to take the power AWAY from the federal government... not give them more. If you're attempting to be sarcastic you need to work on that... your comment is confusing... but I think you're suggesting that I'm alone in the thought that these crackdowns are leading to a totalitarian style cencorship of the internet. You'd better get out from under that rock and take a look around... NOBODY except for the mega corporations wants the federal government to have the right to shut down domain names. The big money buys the power in Washington and practically writes the laws. If you don't believe that then you're in the minority... not me.

[drumz]

01:07 PM on 02/05/2012

You're the one that needs to wake up, RP would be a disaster.

[milkington]

12:27 PM on 02/04/2012

How are streaming sites any different than bars who advertise a sporting event being shown on their bigscreen to attract patrons? How's that legal, but this isn't? If the guy streaming has paid for the subscription, than can't he do what he wants with it? Can no one throw Super Bowl parties and have groups of people over anymore? Apparently not...each and every person must now pay for the full subscription in order to see the broadcast, regardless of how they watch it. F'ing ridiculous. My country is making me ashamed to be an American.

[milkington]

12:33 PM on 02/04/2012

* "...then can't he do..." (not 'than')

[PTerrys]

01:53 PM on 02/05/2012

You're not allowed to rebroadcast or record.

It's pretty simple.

It's not about allowing access to things. A movie theater could have free showings of any movie it wants. But if one person filmed it, and watched it, that person has committed a crime.

Unless he's filming someone watching it!!! (there's always a catch, but the streaming sites... we all knew they were illegal when we started watching them)

Basically if you have to spend more than 5 minutes searching the internet and clarifying the language and type of digital file you want and there's no money being transacted to an owner. you're doing something illegal.

that's capitalism. nothing's free.

[skyeagle]

08:13 PM on 02/03/2012

Home Land Secruity? Are terrorists now also pirates? Thank you Obama for protecting us from viewing the Super bowl! You wouldn't want us low-lifes enjoying ourselves now, would you?

[stealur]

09:24 AM on 02/05/2012

Well, they had to do something...

[normanx]

07:37 PM on 02/03/2012

Hoooray!!! The billionaire owners of the NFL has their own federalized tax payer paid army to hunt down those dirty internet streamers. Goodness knows... if you're not watching a Budweiser commercial on the TV... then it doesn't count...

[mhulgin]

07:03 PM on 02/03/2012

That's some good news for consumers. Hang these cheats of greed. Alot of the $ goes to charity and they wouldn't see a dime. Great job by the Feds....

[SickHippie]

05:50 PM on 02/04/2012

"Alot of the $ goes to charity..."

hehehehehe

Oh wait, you're serious. Let me laugh even harder.

BWAHAHAAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAAH

[stealur]

09:22 AM on 02/05/2012

Yes, that's it. The Feds are just protecting charities! Hahaha

[Rob LoRusso]

06:27 PM on 02/03/2012

LOL gotta protect those corporations! Our government are nothing but terroists who will arrest and detain anyone for the highest bidder.

[paulw3tzi]

05:56 PM on 02/03/2012

vyisderezomenimororzizsazzizdanderizorziz? (figure that one out).

[rrzeus26]

06:02 PM on 02/03/2012

There's less of that than this