Spanish authorities said Friday they had shut down the country’s biggest illegal streaming platform Cristal Azul, which had been offering La Liga and second division football matches online for free.
“More than 78,000 community members… were benefiting from the broadcasting, defrauding two well-known Spanish companies of more than 42 million euros ($44.4 million),” said Spain’s Guardia Civil, a national law enforcement agency, in a statement.
The operation began following a complaint filed jointly by La Liga and broadcaster Movistar, and finished with the identification of the alleged perpetrator, a 37-year-old man, now under investigation.
La Guardia Civil desactiva Cristal Azul, el mayor canal de ‘streaming’ pirata en España: 78.000 usuarios se quedan sin fútbol.
Los agentes acusan al presunto responsable, un hombre de 37 años, de ocasionar un fraude de 42 millones de euros.https://t.co/UsAevcvv7U pic.twitter.com/HcmQwUxOO8
— Más q Guardia Civil (@MqGuardiaCivil) November 15, 2024
The operation is a victory for La Liga president Javier Tebas in his battle with illegal streaming, which he considers to be “theft” that could drive football “into bankruptcy”.
© Agence France-Presse