This IPTV Wire news report covers VNest IPTV facing a lawsuit from DISH Network and Sling TV.
VNest IPTV was a Las Vegas-based live TV service that claimed to have thousands of customers.
This live TV provider provided thousands of live channels, VOD, PPV, and other content.
VNest IPTV Faces Lawsuit from DISH Network
According to reports and official court documents, the operator of VNest IPTV is facing a lawsuit from DISH and Sling TV in a Nevada Court. The operator’s name is Las Vegas resident Santina Fulton.
Fulton is the alleged operator of VNest IPTV and was sent a cease-and-desist notice from DISH and Sling TV in October of 2021. The request was ignored and VNest continued to operate as normal.
But since the lawsuit filing from DISH Network and Sling, the VNest IPTV website is no longer operational.
DISH and Sling are claiming that VNest IPTV rebroadcasted streams from DISH Network under their own name.
What’s most interesting is that some of the channels were even apparently ripped from Nitro TV, which is also facing a massive lawsuit from DISH Network.
Nitro TV Ordered to Pay Over $100 Million in Damages
Investigators eventually caught Fulton and the VNest IPTV operation by signing up for the service and paying using Venmo.
The “smoking gun” in this investigation was a payment from Venmo went directly to Santina Fulton.
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The official court documentation noted the following on the VNest IPTV operation:
“DISH Programming and Sling Programming has been retransmitted to users of Defendants’ VNest TV service without Plaintiffs’ authorization, thereby allowing VNest TV users to receive such programming without paying the requisite subscription fee to DISH or Sling.”
For more information on this story, you can view the official court filing below.
VNest IPTV & DISH Network Court Document (PDF)
This isn’t the first time we have seen media conglomerates and other copyright authorities pursue legal action against IPTV operators.
- PrimeStreams IPTV Operators Targeted in Piracy Lawsuit
- LaLiga Helps Police Arrest Suspects
- Dreambox TV Operators to Pay $1 Million or Face Prison
Overall, it will be interesting to see what happens with VNest IPTV and what services are next on DISH’s target list.
Is IPTV Legal?
It’s impossible for IPTV Wire to determine whether unverified IPTV services, apps, or add-ons hold the proper licensing.
If and when an IPTV service is deemed illegal, we notify our users immediately and update reports on our website like this one to reflect that information.
In conclusion, the end-user is responsible for all content accessed through free IPTV apps and paid services.
See our detailed guide below for more information on the legality of IPTV and everything you need to know before streaming.
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