 "ED, Cyber Crime conduct search ops at 20 locations in Magicwin case")
The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Ahmedabad Zonal Office, conducted search operations in collaboration with the Cyber Crime Police Station, Ahmedabad, at 20 locations across Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, Lucknow, and Coimbatore in connection with the case against Magicwin and others under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
During the search operations, incriminating records, digital devices, and cash amounting to Rs 30 lakh were seized. Additionally, approximately Rs 2 crore was frozen, and certain crypto wallets were identified containing a balance of about Rs 12 crore. Crypto exchanges have been instructed not to liquidate the cryptocurrencies in these wallets.
According to the ED, the investigation was initiated based on information and an FIR registered at the Cyber Crime Police Station, Ahmedabad. It was alleged that the website www.magicwin.games had unauthorisedly hosted, streamed, and broadcast ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 cricket matches, for which broadcasting rights had been granted to Star India Pvt. Ltd. by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Magicwin is a website compatible with any internet browser (mobile, smart TV, computer, etc.) through which the company's paid content was broadcasted and made available for free viewing.
Further, according to the ED, it was gathered from the complainant that Magicwin had illegally broadcast ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 cricket matches, including Canada vs. Ireland on June 7, 2024, and India vs. Pakistan on June 9, 2024, via the link https://ss47.live/. This content was streamed from OTT platform Disney+ Hotstar, causing significant financial losses to the company authorised to broadcast the matches.
The ED's investigation revealed that the Magicwin website was involved in illegal activities such as betting on live cricket matches and other games. The unauthorised broadcast of ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 live matches was done without any subscription fee, enticing unsuspecting individuals to place bets on their website.