Police Bust Illegal Sports Streaming Gang Earning Hundreds of Thousands

In a major crackdown on illegal sports streaming, police have arrested four men in West Yorkshire, England on suspicion of being part of a criminal gang that was earning hundreds of thousands of pounds per year. The investigation began with one suspect believed to be selling illicit streaming services to the public, but financial analysis of his bank accounts led authorities to uncover a broader network of IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) resellers.

The raids, which took place in the final week of October 2025, resulted in the seizure of digital devices that are now being reviewed by high-tech crime specialists. In addition to the four arrests, a fifth suspect also voluntarily attended a police station for questioning.

Authorities estimate that the annual profits generated by this organized crime group were in the hundreds of thousands of pounds. Each of the suspects is alleged to have had their own collection of IPTV sellers working under them. The suspects have been released pending further investigation.

The news of the police operation was revealed in a special episode of The Athletic FC podcast, which also included undercover reporting on the ease with which members of the public can purchase illegal streaming services and how they can be set up on existing devices.