Two men charged with running 247TVStream, a streaming service that offers live NFL, NBA and NHL games for just $10 a month

A federal jury in Brooklyn ruled prosecution Last week charged two brothers — one in New York and the other in Bangladesh — with running an allegedly illegal sports and video streaming service known as 247TVStream.

Noor Nabi Chowdhury, 56, of Cheektowaga, New York, and his younger brother Mohammad Rahman, 36, of Dhaka, Bangladesh, operated the low-cost streaming service from May 2017 to November 2024, authorities said. charged. In the alleged scheme, the brothers posed as regular customers of at least four separate streaming services to obtain legitimate subscriptions to at least four content providers, authorities allege. They then allegedly rebroadcast dramas, children’s television and cooking shows along with live sporting events, including MLB, NBA, NHL games and rodeo events, the streamers’ website shows.

Authorities say Choudhury and Rahama made more than $7 million operating the illegal streaming service and caused more than $100 million in damages to the legitimate streaming service and content owners.

“The defendants are alleged to have operated a contraband online streaming service that distributed copyrighted television programs that they stole for their own personal enrichment,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “My office and the Department of Justice are committed to protecting the rights of intellectual property owners against digital pirates such as these defendants.”

To bring games and TV shows to viewers, Choudhury and Rahman created several subscription websites to get content and developed Apple application called “247 IPTV Player”, the indictment says. According to court documents, they also rented server space to host streaming content and created shell companies to hide their activities and use of merchant agents to accept credit cards and electronic payments. The scheme ran for years and the duo collected millions in subscription fees. Chowdhury and Rahman are charged with criminal conspiracy, illegal digital data services, conspiracy to defraud and aggravated identity theft. Choudhury was arrested on Tuesday and appeared in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York in the afternoon to face the charges. Authorities have issued an arrest warrant for Rahman, who remains at large. The government is seeking illegal proceeds and property related to copyright infringement.

“According to the indictment, Choudhury and Rahman operated an illegal digital streaming site that infringed over one hundred million dollars worth of intellectual property of legitimate copyright owners,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Department of Justice. Criminal department. “Thanks to the work of our prosecutors, along with our domestic and international law enforcement partners, the illegal digital streaming site no longer exists and Choudhury is in custody. These actions demonstrate the criminal division’s commitment to protecting intellectual property rights through strict enforcement of laws against illegal digital transmission services.”

Online reviews of the streaming site are mostly negative with a rating of 1.3 out of five stars. Subscribers complained about buffering and lack of customer service.

“The stream freezes mid-game, so good luck getting it back. This is outrageous,” wrote Marie B. in October 2024. — Absolute rip-off, don’t buy. And their new steam box is worse than vaping from a computer. Just an absolute garbage site.”

This story was originally presented on Fortune.com