Chicago Man Settles Piracy Suit for $44.5 Million
Richard Moy agrees to the payout after allegedly operating a massive illicit streaming network.
Updated on Oct. 27, 2026 in Television
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Richard Moy has agreed to pay $44.5 million to settle a federal lawsuit brought by DISH and Sling TV. The settlement includes a permanent injunction that prohibits the operation of the defendant's alleged pirate streaming service.
Why it matters
The resolution aims to conserve judicial resources following allegations that Moy redistributed proprietary content to hundreds of thousands of users. This outcome marks a significant conclusion to litigation over unauthorized access to streaming infrastructure.
The pirate service, operated under the name City Lights Entertainment, allegedly generated $27 million in annual revenue from 450,000 users. The network relied on a distribution chain involving at least 500 individual resellers.
The players
Richard Moy
He is the sole manager of CLVPN LLC who operated an illicit streaming service under the name City Lights Entertainment.
DISH and Sling TV
These entities are television service providers that initiated legal action against the redistribution of their proprietary content.
Edmond E. Chang
He is the District Judge who presided over the case and denied the defendant's request for court-appointed legal representation.
The details
Moy, the sole manager of CLVPN LLC, was accused of circumventing technical server measures to stream protected content. To address customer concerns, he reportedly misrepresented himself as a Chicago-area law enforcement officer.
Timeline
November 2024: DISH and Sling TV filed the original lawsuit against Richard Moy.
January 27, 2025: Moy filed an official answer to the complaint and a confidentiality order.
August 2025: Counsel for the defense filed a motion to withdraw citing a lack of financial resources.
October 24, 2026: Both parties filed a joint motion for final judgment and a permanent injunction.
Industry Dynamics
This settlement follows the precedent set by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) regarding statutory damages for unauthorized content distribution. It highlights the ongoing enforcement efforts by major broadcasters to dismantle large-scale pirate IPTV networks.
Users who subscribed to City Lights Entertainment will lose access to the content as the court injunction takes effect. This enforcement effort limits the availability of unauthorized streaming services that previously provided channels via unofficial IPTV panels.
The takeaway
Large-scale piracy operations face significant financial risks due to federal statutory damage penalties. Consumers should remain wary of third-party streaming services that operate outside of official provider agreements.
Further reading
For more on the regulatory landscape of digital content, visit the Television section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Torrentfreak.
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