Judge Ruled Pirate Streaming Site Must Face Lawsuit
A Florida federal court rejected a motion to dismiss a copyright case filed against Olevod.
Updated on Sept. 23, 2026 in Television
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District Judge David Leibowitz ruled that Olevod, a Chinese-language streaming site, must face a copyright lawsuit in Florida. The ruling keeps the legal action moving against the site, which is operated by a Spanish company.
Why it matters
The decision establishes that streaming platforms can be held liable in U.S. courts if they actively solicit business from state residents. Tencent alleges the site committed massive copyright infringement by hosting its content.
Tencent seeks up to $150,000 in statutory damages for each of the 670 registered episodes, totaling more than $100 million. In June 2026, the streaming site Olevod.com received 123,400 visits from Florida users.
The players
Tencent
Tencent is a Chinese multinational technology conglomerate that owns a massive portfolio of intellectual property and media content.
David Leibowitz
David Leibowitz serves as a U.S. District Judge in Florida overseeing complex litigation regarding international copyright infringement.
Jiayi Network Technology SL
Jiayi Network Technology SL is a Spanish company that operates the pirate streaming platform known as Olevod.
The details
Tencent filed the complaint alleging Olevod committed copyright and trademark infringement by streaming its shows to an international audience. The court determined personal jurisdiction existed because Olevod sells advertising space and premium subscriptions to residents in Florida.
Timeline
Tencent filed the original copyright complaint in October 2025.
Olevod submitted a motion to dismiss the case in January 2026.
A magistrate judge recommended dismissing the case in June 2026.
District Judge David Leibowitz rejected that recommendation in September 2026.
Olevod must file an answer to the complaint by October 2, 2026.
Industry Dynamics
This case follows a pattern set by the iQIYI copyright litigation, where media companies increasingly target international streaming platforms for statutory damages. The ruling signals that global piracy sites cannot easily evade U.S. copyright law if they monetize traffic from American users.
Consumers who use third-party streaming sites may face reduced availability of content as legal pressure mounts against pirate platforms. These court actions often lead to the blocking or complete shutdown of sites that sell advertising and subscriptions to U.S.-based audiences.
The takeaway
Copyright holders are increasingly using evidence of local traffic and commercial activity to bypass international jurisdictional hurdles. Users of unofficial streaming platforms should be aware that these sites frequently face legal challenges that can result in abrupt service outages.
What happens next
Olevod is required to file a formal answer to Tencent's copyright complaint by October 2, 2026.
Further reading
For more on how legal precedents are shaping the digital landscape, visit Television.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Torrentfreak.
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