PIEINTHE FOR ‘DODGY BOX’ DEALER

‘Pirate’ continued to operate despite being prosecuted

A MAN whose ‘dodgy box’ TV service continued to operate despite his prosecution is free on bail ahead of his sentencing this week.

Ciaran Donovan admitted running King Kong Media, which cost TV firms over €1million in lost revenue. It claimed to have had 3,500 customers.

An anti-piracy investigator for Sky gave evidence of being able to renew an annual subscription for €75, paying Donovan’s son through PayPal last January.

At that stage, Donovan had admitted to running the firm and had undertaken to walk away from the operation as part of his bail conditions.

He pleaded guilty to a charge of possessing property representing the proceeds of criminal conduct.

It was heard at Naas Circuit Court that customers were told where to download the King Kong app through social media and then pay for codes to access TV streaming services on their smart TV or computer.

Donovan was arrested in October 2021 after Sky investigators made a series of controlled purchases and linked him to the business through social media accounts and payment services.

PAYMENTS

Investigators were also able to link a phone number used by him. One social media account had a selfie shot of Donovan wearing a Leeds United jersey.

At that stage people were paying between €40 and €60 a year to illegally access Sky BT Sports with payments being made on a website, PayPal, Strype, Revolut and in cash.

The Sky investigator joined a private Facebook group and a Telegram account linked to King Kong Media, taking screenshots of the information on how to access the service., After Donovan’s arrest in October the Telegram profile’s name was changed to King Kong Reborn with one post asking subscribers not to send messages because the firm was in the hands of authorities.

In reply to counsel for the DPP the investigator said hundreds of thousands of euro would appear to have changed hands.

In one social media post King Kong media claimed to have 3,500 customers, but there was no way of tracking if people had taken out monthly or annual subscriptions.

Donovan made full admissions to gardai when arrested in 2021.

In applying for his bail to be revoked, counsel for the DPP said Donovan admitted to being the full owner of the app and confirmed his phone numbers.

A screenshot taken from his phone saying “No trials, we run a very tight ship” shows he was “a man very much in control of every facet of the operation”, the court heard.

Counsel said there is a direction from the DPP to bring a new charge against him.

Donovan had given an undertaking to the court that he was going to walk away from the business, but a purchase was made.

SALESMAN

While the subscription was renewed it can’t be said without reasonable doubt who was at the other end of the transaction, the court heard.

Judge Martina Baxter said Donovan would have had to have handed over control to someone and one way or another the service was still operating.

In asking for bail not to be revoked, Donovan’s counsel said he currently works as a crisps salesman.

He has a young child with autism who depends on his father and counsel asked the judge to consider Donovan’s personal circumstances.

Judge Baxter adjourned the case until later this week and said she will take the evidence into account when delivering sentence.