Flawless IPTV Fugitive Detained in Thailand – Now on the Run

By iptv.legal , in News , at August 21, 2023

A Flawless IPTV fugitive was detained following a police request but is now on the run again.

The digital age brought many changes to how we consume content and, with it, new challenges to intellectual property rights.

In a recent chapter of the piracy saga, five men involved a pirate IPTV service called Flawless TV were handed heavy prison sentences following a prosecution led by the Premier League.

But there was one more player in the game, Zak Smith, whose story adds a layer of intrigue to this case.

Flawless IPTV Defendant Flees

While the Premier League celebrated a win with the sentencing of the five individuals, there was one missing piece to the puzzle.

Zak Smith, the sixth defendant, was missing in action when the hammer came down.

TorrentFreak, a notable platform for shedding light on such matters, delved deep to uncover more about the Flawless operation and its players.

Zak Smith stood out for several reasons. He wasn’t just another name on the list; he was an ex-employee of an anti-piracy company working alongside the Premier League.

This former insider was found to be the mole supplying Flawless with critical information that sabotaged IPTV blocking in the UK.

Smith’s sudden disappearance post his early guilty plea in February 2020 only intensified the mystery.

Questions arose about his whereabouts and unexpected absence during the sentencing in May.

The Thailand Chapter

Things took an unexpected turn when it was discovered that Smith was potentially residing in Thailand. What’s more puzzling is the financial motive or the lack thereof.

For someone with access to such a goldmine of information, Smith’s financial gains, amounting to a meager £3,297.02, seem baffling.

In an ironic twist, Thai authorities were led to Smith not because of his notorious reputation back in the UK but due to him overstaying his visa by 16 days.

What followed was a classic arrest, complete with photographs circulating the Thai media, some misrepresenting the nature of his crime by exaggerating the prison sentences.

The Video Evidence

But photographs weren’t the only piece of evidence. A video clip acquired by TorrentFreak paints a telling picture.

It shows Smith conversing with an unnamed man, presumably an authority figure, in a rented property.

The dialogue showcases Smith’s attempt at evading questions about his involvement in the IPTV world, diverting the topic to an unrelated online game called Runescape.

There are clear edits in the video, possibly hiding crucial exchanges, but the parts shown make no explicit confirmation of Smith’s ongoing involvement with IPTV piracy.

Flawless IPTV Video Evidence — Image Source: TorrentFreak

The Unanswered Questions

Zak Smith’s story is brimming with questions. Why did he flee? Was he actively involved in IPTV activities in Thailand, as some sources suggest?

And how will these recent developments in Thailand influence his impending sentencing in the UK?

The Unanswered Questions — Image Source: Police News Varieties

Smith’s current status remains unknown, and the Thai authorities have clarified that returning to Thailand isn’t in the cards for him.

This tale offers a window into the vast, intricate world of modern-day piracy, where the stakes are high, and the lines between right and wrong often blur.

The digital age may have transformed how we consume content, but the battle over its rightful distribution is as fierce as ever.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen notable IPTV services get into legal trouble or even shut down.

For more information on this story, you can view the report on TorrentFreak and Police News Varieties.

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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.

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