Milan Ibrahim, aged 68, of Chorley, near Blackburn, Lancashire, was sentenced to 6.5 years’ imprisonment for running an illegal streaming business that generated £980,812 in criminal profits over a three year period.
The operation, led by the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) at the City of London Police, disrupted thousands of illegal streams which had provided unauthorized access to copyrighted content.
The sophisticated operation supplied illegal IPTV services to customers in the UK and overseas, particularly targeting British expats living abroad. Ibrahim unlawfully captured and redistributed television broadcasts from major rights holders, including the BBC, ITV, Sky, Premier League and the Motion Pictures Association. He then converted the content into formats suitable for IPTV streaming and sold subscriptions to customers around the world.
The investigation revealed that the business operated on 80 servers from premises in Chorley. During enforcement activity, all 80 servers were seized and shut down, significantly disrupting the operation’s ability to provide illegal streaming services.
“PIPCU will continue to pursue those involved in the provision of illegal IPTV services, both in the UK and internationally,” said Emma Slater, Investigation Officer from the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) at the City of London Police. “We work closely with industry partners and law enforcement agencies around the world to identify, disrupt and prosecute offenders.”
The Preston Crown Court found Ibrahim guilty of conspiracy to defraud, and will now face proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act to recover those funds which had been obtained through the sale of illegal IPTV services.
Why it matters
“Piracy is not a victimless crime. Those responsible contribute nothing to the creation or broadcast of television programmes,” said Diane Hamer, Head of Business & Legal Affairs, IP Protection at BBC Studios. “Their actions not only deprive the UK’s creative industries of vital revenue, impacting creators, businesses, and professionals who rely on the protection of intellectual property rights, but also impacts licence fee payers. This conviction sends a clear message that such activity has real consequences.
Further reading
Man in his 60s jailed for 6.5 years after making over £980,000 through illegal streaming. Press release. August 27, 2026. Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) at the City of London Police
[ Note: It is unknown as to whether Ibrahim can view the famous four thousand holes in Blackburn Lancashire from his location. ]
