Vietnam Moves to Prosecute 74 in Major Sports Streaming Piracy Sweep

Vietnamese law enforcement officials have finalized their investigation into one of Southeast Asia's most prominent illegal sports streaming syndicates, recommending formal prosecution for 74 individuals connected to the network.

The operation centered on illicit broadcasts of premium sports programming, including England's Premier League, distributed across popular platforms such as XoilacTV, 90PhutTV, VeboTV, ThapcamTV, BanhkhucTV and CakeoTV. According to reporting from TorrentFreak, which cited local outlets Dan Tri and VnExpress, the operators routinely cycled through alternative domains to circumvent administrative site-blocking orders.

## Syndicate Origins and Monetization

Investigators in Hung Yen province trace the origin of the enterprise to late 2018, when Hanoi technology entrepreneur Pham Nguyen Dung and programmer Nguyen Cong Dinh established the initial portal, 90 Phut. Dung reportedly provided the capital while Dinh handled the technical infrastructure, with the pair splitting profits derived from high-volume sports-betting banner advertisements embedded across the broadcasts.

Dinh also oversaw the affiliated Cakhia streaming network alongside another partner. The venture generated sufficient cash flow to support an extensive operational roster, including more than 30 local commentators who earned between 200,000 and 500,000 dong (roughly $8 to $20) per match to deliver live Vietnamese play-by-play.

Vietnam's cybercrime units initially raided the operation in February, bringing charges against 30 people in March. The conclusion of the provincial police probe has now expanded the indictment target to 74 suspects across technical, promotional and production tiers.

For major sports broadcasters and rights holders, the sweep marks a significant escalation in cross-border copyright enforcement. As analysts at Hollywood Tomorrow note, mounting trade pressure from international partners is pushing regional authorities in Southeast Asia to transition from temporary domain blocks to sweeping criminal indictments against pirate syndicates.