Following criminal referrals by the Premier League and the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), on April 19 the People’s Court of Hanoi handed down Vietnam’s first-ever criminal sentence for online copyright infringement against Le Hai Nam, the operator of the illegal IPTV subscription service, BestBuy IPTV.
BestBuy IPTV, which has been named in the U.S. Trade Representative’s Notorious Markets List for the past five years, unlawfully provided pirated sports, films and TV series to consumers in Vietnam and around the world. Nam, who ran the service out of Hanoi, pleaded guilty and has been sentenced to 30 months in jail (suspended) and was ordered to pay the equivalent of $4,000 USD. A total of more than $24,000 USD in illegal profit was confiscated and allocated to public funding. Nam has also paid $12,000 USD in restitution as stated in the indictment.
“The defendant has violated the provisions of the law which protect the copyright and related rights of the Motion Picture Association’s members and the English Premier League,” said Judge Le Hai Yen of the Hanoi People’s Court. “[Such crimes are] a danger to society and needed to be strictly enforced and prosecuted. [The case should] serve as a deterrent to others.”
This represents an important milestone in the fight against online piracy in the country and sets a precedent for future legal actions.
This landmark case is a significant step forward in combating online piracy in Vietnam. It underscores the seriousness of the offense and sends a clear message that piracy will not be tolerated. It also demonstrates the importance of collaboration between the private and public sector to stamp out online copyright infringement.
“This result should serve as a stark warning to anyone involved in the illegal supply of Premier League streams in Vietnam. It is the result of a strong partnership between the Vietnamese authorities and local law enforcement, ACE and the Premier League,” said Premier League General Counsel Kevin Plumb.
“The criminal conviction sets a significant precedent for future initiatives aimed at protecting intellectual property rights in Vietnam and beyond. We will continue to work with our local broadcast partner K+ to educate fans of the dangers of streaming Premier League football through pirate services and to remind them that the safest way to watch matches in the best quality is through our official licensee.”
“We applaud the Vietnamese government and local law enforcement for their action in the case, demonstrating the power of a joint global effort to confront and prosecute the operators of content piracy services,” said Karyn Temple, Senior Executive Vice President and Global General Counsel for the Motion Picture Association (MPA). “IPTV and illegal streaming services continue to have a detrimental effect upon the Vietnamese film and television industry and on those around the world who earn a living working behind and in front of the camera. We eagerly await similar action from Vietnamese law enforcement on other longstanding priority targets engaged in digital piracy on a global scale.”
ACE and the Premier League will continue working closely with local, regional and global law enforcement agencies and authorities to safeguard the integrity of entertainment content and sports, ensuring fans can access content through authorized channels.