Sports Updates: 4 months’ jail for Sim Lim Square seller of illicit streaming devices showing EPL games

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https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/4-months-jail-for-sim-lim-square-seller-of-illicit-streaming-devices-showing-epl-games

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A Sim Lim Square retailer was sentenced to four months’ jail for selling illicit streaming devices that provided unauthorised access to copyrighted content, including English Premier League (EPL) matches and movies. Lin Da, 35, was the sole director and shareholder of Simder Trading and Business, which operated the shop MengXin Tech. His company was also convicted and fined $40,000.

Lin pleaded guilty to four charges under the Copyright Act on Jan 27, 2026, with seven additional charges taken into consideration. According to the prosecution, Lin had been importing illicit streaming devices from China and Hong Kong since 2018. After customers purchased the devices, Lin or his employees would install software applications that granted access to pirated live TV channels and video-on-demand content, giving users entry to a constantly updated library of copyrighted works owned by multiple rights holders.

Simder earned between $49 and $60 per device sold, generating an estimated monthly profit of $4,000 to $5,000. In 2020, the Football Association Premier League (FAPL) sent Simder a cease-and-desist letter warning that the devices illegally distributed EPL matches. Despite receiving and understanding the letter, Lin continued selling the devices.

Authorities raided several Sim Lim Square shops on Oct 4, 2022, seizing 301 illicit devices from Lin’s shop and arresting him and an employee. Of these, 16 working devices were found to facilitate access to content from rights holders such as FAPL, Warner Bros, Disney and Discovery, including EPL matches and popular films. The remaining devices were faulty and intended for repair or return. No compensation was made to copyright owners.

This case marks the fourth conviction involving Sim Lim Square sellers since the 2022 enforcement operation, which led to 17 arrests and the seizure of over 2,500 illegal devices worth about $500,000. Rights holders, including the Premier League and the Motion Picture Association, welcomed the sentence, highlighting piracy’s legal, economic and security risks.