Streameast Shut Down After ACE-Egypt Sting — What Happened
The sports piracy network Streameast, described as the world’s largest illegal sports streaming platform, has been shut down following a coordinated sting by the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) and Egyptian law enforcement on August 24.
Key points
- ACE — a coalition of more than 50 entertainment companies including Disney, HBO, Fox, Netflix and Sony — led a yearlong investigation.
- Streameast reportedly offered free access to around 80 unauthorised domains, allowing users to pirate Premier League, Champions League, NFL, NBA and MLB games.
- The site attracted roughly 1.6 billion visits in the past year, according to ACE.
- Egyptian authorities arrested two men in Sheikh Zayed City; laptops and phones were seized during the raid.
- Investigators reportedly found links to a UAE shell company allegedly used to launder over $6 million in ad revenue over 15 years.
- Streameast’s original domain is inactive, but several copycat sites may try to fill the gap; ACE is monitoring and investigating potential related sites.
Sources
Reported coverage from reputable outlets:
- ABC News — coverage of the shutdown and ACE operation
- Bleacher Report — summary of arrests and investigation
- Los Angeles Times — broader business context and alleged laundering links
What this means
The shutdown is a major win for rights-holders and highlights the global coordination between industry coalitions and law enforcement. However, history suggests copycats and mirror sites often appear quickly after takedowns, which presents an ongoing enforcement challenge.
If you follow sports streams online, be cautious: illegal streams can carry malware, infringe copyright, and expose users to scams.
If you want this posted with any edits or additional links, tell me what to change.