Texas Website Operator Indicted for Streaming Copyrighted Sporting Events

The operator of a website that allegedly streamed live, copyrighted sporting events on the Internet illegally was indicted on Oct. 22, 2011, for criminal infringement of a copyright.

According to the indictment, between 2005 and Jan. 31, 2011, Bryan McCarthy, of Deer Park, Texas, operated channelsurfing.net and provided links on that website to various live streams of copyright-protected sporting event telecasts without authorization, including events of the National Football League, the NBA, the National Hockey League, World Wrestling Entertainment, and the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

The investigation into McCarthy revealed that he made more than $90,000 in profits from online merchants who paid him to advertise on the website.

McCarthy registered the channelsurfing.net domain name in December 2005 and operated the website out of his home in Texas until the time of its seizure. At the time it was seized, channelsurfing.net was one of the most popular websites that streamed illegal content.

If convicted on the charges in the indictment, McCarthy faces a maximum of five years in prison.

Source: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigation (HSI).