UFC sues web pirate for $32 million
The UFC's parent company Zuffa, LLC has filed a massive lawsuit against a New York man who they allege has continually robbed them of profits by illegally pirating events online.
The civil lawsuit, filed on Tuesday in the U.S. District Court in Eastern New York, asks for $32 million in damages from defendant Steven A. Messina, a Staten Island resident.
According to The New York Post, which first published news of the suit, the 27-year-old Messina lives with his parents.
The UFC contends that from May 2012 to December 2013, Messina illegally uploaded 141 copyrighted pay-per-view events to torrent sites like PirateBay and Kickass. The suit alleges that Messina, who uploaded under the name "Secludedly," also directed users to a donation link to keep his practice up and running.
Messina boasted his service as "Provider of the best MMA & Boxing rips online!"
The UFC's against him seeks up to $150,000 for each act of copyright infringement, up to $150,000 for each act of vicarious infringement, up to $110,000 for each illegal use of content, up to $60,000 for each time he illegally intercepted UFC content, as well as attorney's fees, interest and costs of the lawsuit.
Earlier this year, the promotion successfully shut down a site, Cagewatcher.eu, that illegally streamed UFC pay-per-views. The company has also previously sued bars that illegally display events as well as individuals who watched an illegal streams.
The court has not yet set a date for Messina's case. The UFC is represented by Christopher Hufnagel of Lonstein Law Office in Ellenville, New York.
