Texas Cafe Owners Pirated July 2021 UFC PPV Broadcast, Alleges Complaint

The owners of a Wylie, Texas, cafe willfully engaged in wrongful acts when they intercepted the July 2021 pay-per-view broadcast of the Ultimate Fighting Championship bout between Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor, a Communications Act complaint from Joe Hand Promotions alleged Thursday (docket 4:24-cv-00530) in U.S. District Court for Eastern Texas in Sherman. Tony Ltaif and Rafat Hamam, owners of Hookah House, knew or should have known that intercepting the broadcast for free and exhibiting it at their restaurant wasn’t “properly authorized,” the complaint said. The broadcast wasn’t for private viewing, nor was it for residential, noncommercial purposes, it said. Hookah House sold food and drinks during the broadcast, and the program's public display was meant to entice restaurant patrons to spend money while viewing it, the complaint said. The owners intentionally pirated the program for their "economic gain,” it said. Joe Hand Promotions seeks maximum damages of $110,000 for the willful violation of sections 605 and 553 of the Communications Act.