Manchester United v Chelsea FC - Premier League
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - The official Premier League 2022/23 Nike match ball during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Chelsea FC at Old Trafford on May 25, 2023 in Manchester, England. Naomi Baker/Getty Images

Five individuals behind three pirate streaming organizations have been sentenced to a total of 30 years and seven months in prison due to their involvement in a conspiracy to defraud, money laundering, and contempt of court after generating more than $8.6 million in five years pirating Premier League matches, according to Sky Sports.

Illegal Streaming Business Made Millions Pirating Premier League Matches

The operation is one of the most extensive illicit streaming services in the United Kingdom.

The business made millions by selling TV sticks to over 50,000 customers and resellers, allowing them to access streams illegally to watch many of the most valuable sporting events in the world, hundreds of other channels, and movies and series on demand.

It is the world's most significant prosecution of an illegal streaming network ever.

Mark Gould, 36, from London, the operations leader, was sentenced to 11 years. He was described by the judge as the driving force of the conspiracy, according to talkSPORT.

The illegal streaming businesses employed 30 people, including one undercover at a specialist anti-piracy company.

Premier League General Counsel Kevin Plumb was pleased with the prosecutions, saying that the sentencing resulted from a long and complex prosecution of a highly sophisticated operation.

"We are pleased that through rulings such as this, the courts continue to show that they recognise the importance of safeguarding the Premier League's rights," Plumb added.