Pay-TV giant DISH Network has launched a legal offensive against the operators of two popular “pirate” IPTV services, Lemo TV and Kemo IPTV, accusing them of widespread copyright infringement. The lawsuit, filed in a Texas federal court, is spearheaded by the International Broadcaster Coalition Against Piracy (IBCAP) and seeks over $25 million in potential damages.
With this, DISH is also going after the resellers who used the name Sling TV Box to try and sell what DISH says is an illegal streaming service per a report from TorrentFreak.
The move comes amid a growing crackdown on illicit streaming services that offer access to vast libraries of live channels and on-demand content for significantly lower prices than legitimate subscriptions. IBCAP, a prominent anti-piracy organization, has been at the forefront of these efforts, and this latest lawsuit represents a significant step in their ongoing battle.
According to the complaint, Lemo TV and Kemo IPTV lure customers with promises of “over 18,000 live channels” and “over 8,400 shows.” They offer enticing subscription packages, including a 36-hour free trial and long-term access for a fraction of the cost of legal providers like DISH. The lawsuit details subscription options ranging from six months for $28.50 to four years for $100.
DISH’s legal action also targets the reseller networks associated with Lemo and Kemo. These programs enable third parties to create their own custom-branded IPTV services for a relatively small fee, allowing them to profit by reselling credits to their own customer base at inflated prices. The complaint includes a list of alleged reseller services.
While the operators of Lemo TV and Kemo IPTV remain unidentified, DISH believes they are utilizing services from U.S.-based companies like Cloudflare and Namecheap. To uncover their identities, DISH has filed a motion for expedited discovery, seeking permission to subpoena a wide range of third-party intermediaries. These include hosting providers, payment processors (such as Google, Coinbase, and PayPal), and social media platforms (including Meta Platforms and X Corp.). The discovery request extends beyond the primary Lemo and Kemo domains to encompass their alleged reseller networks.
DISH’s lawsuit claims infringement of at least 171 registered copyrighted works, seeking the maximum statutory damages of $150,000 per infringement, totaling over $25 million. Furthermore, DISH is requesting a court injunction to force the transfer of the infringing domain names.
The pay-TV provider asserts that the defendants have acted willfully and on a massive scale, allegedly ignoring approximately 100 infringement notices sent by IBCAP and DISH since February 2021.
This lawsuit underscores the escalating efforts by content owners and distributors to combat the growing threat of pirate IPTV services and protect their intellectual property. The outcome of this case could have significant implications for the future of illegal streaming operations.
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