According to the Complaint filed in US District Court in New York, the International Broadcaster Coalition Against Piracy, Inc. (IBCAP), an anti-piracy organization assisting in the case, had issued 68 notices of infringement to the operator and 435 takedown notices to hosting companies used by DMTN IPTV since 2020 when an investigator had purchased a service plan.
The lawsuit alleges that DMTN IPTV, which also operates the illegal streaming services Idriss Premium TV and Max TV, illegally transmits copyrighted content owned by IBCAP members, despite repeated requests for compliance under U.S. copyright law.
The infringing services were active in the United States on February 16, 2026, just before the lawsuit was filed. They deliver television channels (and the copyrighted programs on those channels) originating from countries including Bangladesh, Brazil, Egypt, India, Lebanon, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia that are (or were during the relevant period) exclusively licensed to DISH in the United States.
“No more expensive cable bills”
The website that promotes and markets the infringing service promises customers “No More Expensive Cable Bills” and states that DMTN IPTV “can be installed on any device.”
Customers in the United States have multiple subscription alternatives, including a 12-month plan for $85.
Evading detection and enforcement
The complaint also described deceptive tactics allegedly used by DMTN-IPTV, including the use of shell companies, fictitious business names and addresses, and phony sales receipts. A receipt described in the Complaint falsely labeled subscriptions as “The Philos Brown Leather Backpack” in the description of a PayPal transaction.
In addition, DMTN-IPTV unlawfully delivers infringing service from computer servers located throughout the world and regularly moves those servers to different hosting companies in order to avoid detection and enforcement.
Accused parties
The suit names Idriss Elkasmi, based in Fes, Morocco, as the direct infringer and primary operator of the service, along with other Doe defendants. It further alleges that Ali Ezzaary, along with other “John Doe” (un-named) defendants, promoted and enabled access to the infringing service as secondary infringers.
Damages sought
The lawsuit seeks statutory damages totaling more than $21 million, based on 145 instances of infringement which carry maximum statutory damages of $150,000 per instance. The Complaint also seeks a permanent injunction, transfer of domains used by the service and court orders preventing third parties, including hosting providers, CDNs, ISPs and payment processors, from supporting the infringing operation.
The lawsuit was coordinated by IBCAP and filed by IBCAP member DISH Network. All evidence for the case was obtained and provided by the IBCAP lab.
Further background
IBCAP is a coalition of leading international and U.S. content owners, broadcasters and distributors representing more than 220 television channels from the U.S. and around the world. A state-of-the-art anti-piracy lab proactively monitors and identifies unauthorized video services, collects evidence and assists with legal actions and criminal investigations against organizations and individuals engaging in pirate activities.
IBCAP coordinates with government agencies and law enforcement both in the U.S. and abroad, reports suspected infringers to the appropriate authorities, initiates investigations and promotes the prosecution of persons or companies that participate in the illegal streaming of its members’ video content.
Why it matters
The lawsuit contends that the infringing services directly compete with authorized subscriptions to DISH’s television programming, thereby causing lost market share, lost subscription revenues, lost advertising revenues, and price erosion for legitimate services. They also disrupt DISH’s relationships with authorized distributors in the United States, depriving DISH of its exclusive rights to control the distribution and quality of its copyrighted television programming, interfering with DISH’s ability to develop a lawful market for television programming in the United States, and damaging DISH’s business reputation and goodwill.
“When a pirate continues to ignore our takedown requests, the next step is to coordinate legal action. In line with past lawsuit wins, we expect a similar outcome in this case, including a broad injunction that can be enforced against third parties, such as hosting providers, CDNs, ISPs and payment processors to stop this infringement,” said Chris Kuelling, executive director of IBCAP.
Further reading
IBCAP annouces $21 million lawsuit against DMTN IPTV. Press release. February 18, 2026. The International Broadcaster Coalition Against Piracy, Inc. (IBCAP)
Complaint. DISH Network LLC, Plaintiff, against Idriss Elksami (aka Idriss El-Kasmi), Ali Ezzaary and Does (un-named parties) 1-10. Document No. 1. Case 26-cv-01350. Filed February 17, 2026. US District Court, Southern District of New York.
