Man charged with selling illegal streaming devices at Sim Lim Square, infringing copyright of Disney, Netflix
The 36-year-old is accused of infringing on the copyright of companies like Disney, Netflix and the Football Association Premier League.
Ge Xin was nabbed as part of simultaneous raids carried out at Sim Lim Square in October 2022 in the first publicised crackdown on illegal streaming devices since a new law was passed in 2021. (Photo: Singapore Police Force)
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SINGAPORE: A man who ran two shops in Sim Lim Square was charged in court on Tuesday (Mar 26) for selling illegal streaming devices and offering to install computer programs that would help customers watch pirated shows.
Ge Xin, a 36-year-old Singaporean, was charged along with the two companies - MT Gadget+ and Grandnew.
He allegedly infringed the copyright of companies like Disney, Netflix and the Football Association Premier League by selling devices that came installed with programmes that could access copyrighted shows such as Raya and the Last Dragon, The Adam Project and Premier League games.
Ge is also accused of infringing the copyright of other works such as Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore by Warner Bros, Discovery Channel by Discovery and Top Gun Maverick by Paramount Pictures.
Ge was handed 24 charges under the Copyright Act for selling illegal streaming devices or for offering the installation of computer programmes that would help customers access copyrighted shows.
His companies received 12 charges each for corresponding offences.
The police said in a statement that officers from the Criminal Investigation Department launched simultaneous raids at several retail shops in Sim Lim Square on Oct 4, 2022, seizing more than 400 sets of illegal streaming devices from Ge's two shops.
The raid was the first publicised crackdown on illegal streaming devices since a law banning the sale of pirate set-top boxes was passed in September 2021.
If convicted, Ge faces a jail term of up to five years, a fine of up to S$100,000, or both per charge.
His companies face fines of up to S$200,000 each.
The cases for Ge and his two companies have been adjourned for pre-trial conferences.
