Second Sim Lim Square shop owner jailed for selling illegal streaming devices
On May 30, Wang Yue, 36, was sentenced to six months' jail, while his company Ace Technologies was fined $181,000.
The Chinese national had pleaded guilty to 17 charges related to copyright infringement on March 20.
He also pleaded guilty to another 17 copyright-related charges served to Ace Technologies, a firm he had incorporated and owned.
Another 33 charges were taken into consideration during the sentencing of Wang and his company.
Ace Technologies occupied four shop units at Sim Lim Square and sold the illegal streaming devices between 2018 and 2022.
These devices were able to access content from Disney, Warner Bros, Discovery Inc, and English Premier League football games .
Wang had sourced for and purchased the devices from an unnamed overseas supplier.
He admitted to instructing his employees to offer the devices for sale by telling customers they would be able to access otherwise copyrighted material with no additional charges.
Each device was sold for between $149 and $249. Wang made a profit of between $39 and $99 for each sale, earning up to $18,000 monthly from the sale of the devices.
He continued to sell the devices even after receiving two letters in January and October 2020 from the Football Association Premier League, warning him to stop the sale of the devices as they infringed on the league's copyright.
Wang was arrested on Oct 4, 2022 , after a raid by officers from the Intellectual Property Rights Branch of the Singapore Police Force. More than 1,000 illegal streaming devices were seized from his shops.
Wang's conviction is the second successful conviction under copyright provisions targeting commercial dealers of illegal streaming devices, after the Copyright Act was amended in 2021 to ban the sale of media streaming boxes with 'add-on' services that help consumers access pirated content.
In October 2024, Ge Xin, 37, was sentenced to 10 months' jail, while his two shops, MT Gadget+ and Grandnew, were fined $200,000 and $100,000, respectively.
In October 2022, police officers raided several retail shops in Sim Lim Square and arrested 17 people for selling illegal streaming devices.
In a statement released after Wang's sentencing, Mr Kevin Plumb, general counsel of the Premier League, said: 'This case once again sends a message to pirates that their activity will not be tolerated and reminds consumers that buying these devices is a problem.'
'There are still more cases to follow from the significant raids in 2022, and we thank the Singapore Attorney-General Chambers and the Intellectual Property Rights Branch of the Singapore Police Force for their commitment to these investigations and prosecutions.'
Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
China steps in as US pulls back from diplomacy, report says
The U.S. and Chinese flags are seen on the day of a bilateral meeting between the U.S. and China, in Geneva, Switzerland, May 11, 2025. KEYSTONE/EDA/Martial Trezzini/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY WASHINGTON - China is increasing its diplomatic reach as President Donald Trump's administration pares back America's international presence, Democrats from the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee said in a report released on Monday. The report, the result of months of staff travel and research, was released as the Trump administration makes deep cuts to the State Department, including beginning on Friday to fire more than 1,350 U.S.-based employees, part of a total reduction of nearly 3,000 people for the U.S.-based workforce. The administration has also cut billions of dollars in foreign aid, effectively shutting down the U.S. Agency for International Development, leading to the firing of thousands of its employees and contractors. Critics said the cuts would undermine Washington's ability to defend and promote U.S. interests abroad. Research published in The Lancet medical journal said the cuts to USAID and its dismantling could result in more than 14 million additional deaths by 2030. The Trump administration says its changes help align foreign policy with Trump's "America First" agenda, and are part of a push to shrink the federal bureaucracy and cut what Trump officials say has been wasteful spending. The Democrats' 91-page report listed ways, from broadcasting to health programs and development efforts, that committee researchers said China is expanding its influence. "China is pursuing a clear vision for the international order while the Trump Administration seeks to diminish America's engagement globally," the report said. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore HSA intensifies crackdown on vapes; young suspected Kpod peddlers nabbed in Bishan, Yishun Singapore Man charged over distributing nearly 3 tonnes of vapes in one day in Bishan, Ubi Avenue 3 Singapore Public healthcare institutions to record all Kpod cases, confiscate vapes: MOH, HSA Singapore Man allegedly attacks woman with knife at Kallang Wave Mall, to be charged with attempted murder Singapore Singapore boosts support for Timor-Leste as it prepares to join Asean Singapore UN aviation and maritime agencies pledge to collaborate to boost safety, tackle challenges Singapore High Court dismisses appeal of drink driver who killed one after treating Tampines road like racetrack Singapore 18 years' jail for woman who hacked adoptive father to death after tussle over Sengkang flat It lists dozens of cases in which the committee researchers found that China had stepped in as the U.S. eliminated or cut back international programs, from funding vaccines and providing food to infrastructure development. For example, in Africa, as the U.S. terminated food assistance programs, China in March donated $2 million in rice to Uganda. In May, after the U.S. terminated a $37 million HIV/AIDS grant in Zambia, China said it would help the African nation fight HIV/AIDS, including by donating 500,000 rapid HIV testing kits and planning more meetings to discuss its continued partnership on the issue. In Southeast Asia, Chinese President Xi Jinping embarked on a tour to meet with leaders in Vietnam, Cambodia and Malaysia, the report said. The trip yielded an agreement in Vietnam for railroad connections, 37 cooperation agreements in Cambodia in sectors including energy, education and infrastructure and technical and manufacturing exchanges in Malaysia. And in Latin America, China in May hosted the "China-Latin American and the Caribbean Forum" and announced it would provide a $9 billion credit line and additional infrastructure investments for the region. REUTERS
Online Citizen
3 hours ago
- Online Citizen
Driver and passenger arrested after GetGo car kills 66yo woman at Circuit Road night market
SINGAPORE: Two men have been arrested following a fatal car crash that killed a woman at a night market in Circuit Road, Singapore, on 11 July. Police confirmed on 14 July that the men, aged 38 and 40, were detained in connection with the incident. The police were alerted at about 11.45pm on 11 July to an accident involving a rental car and a woman at a pasar malam stall at Block 52A Circuit Road. The 66-year-old woman, who was reportedly washing up at her stall, was pronounced dead at the scene by a Singapore Civil Defence Force paramedic. Police investigations revealed that the 40-year-old driver did not have a valid driving licence and fled the scene without rendering help. He was arrested the next day for dangerous driving causing death, driving without a valid licence, driving without insurance and failing to stop after an accident. The 38-year-old passenger, believed to have rented the car, was arrested at the scene for permitting the driver to use the vehicle without a valid licence or insurance. Images shared by SGRV on Facebook showed a black GetGo car surrounded by debris at the night market. The stall, known for selling Chinese snacks such as tutu kueh, was reportedly run by an older man and three women, according to Shin Min Daily News. The night market has five stalls and began operations on 5 July. It is scheduled to run until 20 July. In a statement, car-sharing firm GetGo offered condolences to the victim's family and said it was cooperating fully with the police. The company described the incident as a 'severe breach' of its terms of service, as the driver was not an authorised user of the vehicle. GetGo also stated that it is providing support to those affected but declined to comment further due to ongoing investigations. Police reminded motorists that leaving the scene of an accident without helping injured parties is a criminal offence. They urged all drivers to follow traffic laws and render assistance when accidents occur, warning that firm action would be taken against offenders.
Straits Times
5 hours ago
- Straits Times
Avoiding trade curbs vital for normalisation of ties, India tells China
Find out what's new on ST website and app. FILE PHOTO: Chinese Vice President Han Zheng attends a meeting with Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves (not pictured) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China January 11, 2025. REUTERS/Florence Lo/Pool/File photo BEIJING/NEW DELHI - India and China must resolve friction along their border, pull back troops and avoid "restrictive trade measures" to normalise their relationship, India's foreign minister told his Chinese counterpart in Beijing on Monday. India's Subrahmanyam Jaishankar met Wang Yi in Beijing during his first trip to the country since 2020, when a deadly border clash between their troops led to a four-year military standoff and damaged ties until a thaw began in October, when they agreed to step back. "Good progress" made by the countries in the past nine months for normalisation of relations is a result of the resolution of friction along their border, Jaishankar told Wang. India and China share a 3,800 km (2,400 miles) border that is poorly demarcated and has been disputed since the 1950s. They fought a brief but brutal border war in 1962 and talks over the decades to settle the border dispute have made slow progress. Last month, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told his Chinese counterpart that the two countries should seek a "permanent solution" to the border dispute, seen as a new push by New Delhi for a conclusive outcome. "It is now incumbent on us to address other aspects related to the border, including de-escalation," Jaishankar said, adding that it was also critical that restrictive trade measures and roadblocks be avoided to foster mutually beneficial cooperation. The minister was speaking in the backdrop of Beijing's restrictions in recent months on supplies of critical minerals such as rare earth magnets and machinery for manufacturing of high-tech goods. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore HSA intensifies crackdown on vapes; young suspected Kpod peddlers nabbed in Bishan, Yishun Singapore Man charged over distributing nearly 3 tonnes of vapes in one day in Bishan, Ubi Avenue 3 Singapore Singapore boosts support for Timor-Leste as it prepares to join Asean Singapore UN aviation and maritime agencies pledge to collaborate to boost safety, tackle challenges Asia Thailand's anti-graft agency set to probe suspended premier Paetongtarn Business Singapore's economy sees surprise expansion in Q2 despite US tariff uncertainty: Advance estimate Singapore High Court dismisses appeal of drink driver who killed one after treating Tampines road like racetrack Singapore 18 years' jail for woman who hacked adoptive father to death after tussle over Sengkang flat India holds the world's fifth-largest rare earth reserves but its domestic output remains underdeveloped. There was no immediate Chinese readout of the talks between Jaishankar and Wang. Jaishankar, who is in China to attend the meeting of foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, met Chinese Vice President Han Zheng earlier in the day, the official Chinese news agency Xinhua reported. India and China should steadily advance practical cooperation and respect each other's concerns, Han told Jaishankar, Xinhua said. REUTERS
