TV fire stick seller jailed for two years

A man from Halifax who sold modified TV fire sticks that infringed copyright laws has been sentenced to two years behind bars at York Crown Court today (3 January).

Sunny Kumar Kanda, 40, of Creek View, Wheatley, Halifax sold TV fire sticks – which are media streaming devices that let users stream videos, play music and install apps on their TV – to consumers knowing that they provided unauthorised access to premium subscriber content to premium television content from legitimate providers such as Sky, BT Sport, Disney+ and Netflix.

In August 2024, Kanda pleaded guilty to three charges in violation of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and Fraud Act 2006 in relation to supplying and distributing the TV fire sticks and concealing bank transfers linked to criminal activity. He has been sentenced to 2 years immediate imprisonment (starting point of 3 years, 1/3 credit).

Over an 18-month period between 2020 and 2022, the defendant cheated legitimate providers out of over £108,000 by selling illegal fire sticks through a closed Facebook group that ended up with more than 3,900 members.

Originally named ‘KD Streams’ but later rebranded as ‘KD Media’, an undercover investigator from FACT joined the group and made a test purchase of the advertised fire stick. After analysis, it was uncovered that the fire stick had been modified to provide unauthorised access to premium film, television, and live sports content using applications called The Vodfather XC and Plex.

The investigation was conducted by the National Trading Standards eCrime Team, hosted by City of York Council and North Yorkshire Council, working in partnership with intellectual property organisation, FACT.

A spokesperson for National Trading Standards said:

“Accessing pirated content through illegal TV fire sticks undermines the UK’s entertainment industry, putting its talented workforce and supply chains at risk by depriving them of fair earnings and revenue. It also puts consumers at risk by exposing them to illegal software that can put their data and bank details in jeopardy.

“Today’s sentence is an important reminder to all those who buy and sell TV firesticks that crime does not pay – it breaches copyright law and we encourage people to report suspected cases to the Citizens Advice consumer service.”

Kieron Sharp, CEO, FACT, said:

“We are grateful for the strong partnership between FACT, City of York Council, North Yorkshire Council and the National Trading Standards eCrime Team. This collaboration was crucial in securing the evidence needed to hold the offender accountable.

“Illegal streaming isn’t a victimless crime. It weakens the creative industries, puts consumers at risk of data theft and often funds other serious crimes.

“The outcome serves as both a consequence for those involved in these criminal activities and as a strong warning to others considering similar action.”

A Proceeds of Crime hearing has been listed for 7 May 2025.

To report suspicious activity, people are being encourage to report suspected cases to the Citizens Advice consumer service on 0808 223 1133.

Cllr Jenny Kent, Executive Member with portfolio for Trading Standards at City of York Council, said:

“Rigorous investigation by our dedicated team and valued partners has helped bring this fraud to court to uphold the rights of legitimate businesses and customers. Pirated content puts them all at risk and we continue to work hard to stop it.”