Federation Against Copyright Theft

What Federation Against Copyright Theft does

Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) is a UK-headquartered professional services organisation established in 1983 by major Hollywood studios to combat physical-media piracy. Headquartered in Twickenham with a regional office in Dubai (FACT Worldwide ME DMCC), the firm has evolved over more than 40 years from anti-piracy enforcement into a multi-disciplinary provider of due diligence, investigations, IP protection, compliance screening, geopolitical risk advisory, and cyber security services. Its clients are predominantly enterprise rights holders (film studios, broadcasters, sports leagues), financial institutions, government agencies, and investment migration programme operators across the UK, EMEA, and the Middle East.

FACT delivers work across six service disciplines—M&A and Investment Solutions, Ethics & Compliance, Investigations/Disputes/Intelligence, Geopolitical & Country Risk Advisory, Training & Development, and Cyber Security—supported by two proprietary software platforms. TraceGuard runs online monitoring across Google, Bing, Facebook, Instagram, X, Meta Ads, and LinkedIn using customised keywords and block terms, captures timestamped visual evidence, and issues automated takedown notices. RiskMonitor screens entities against sanctions, PEP, and watchlist data with open-web adverse media discovery in non-English sources, alongside workflow and audit-trail tooling. The firm operates as a UK GDPR-registered data controller and offers UK CPD-accredited training programmes for compliance professionals.

FACT runs a sales-led, membership-and-professional-services model funded by rights-holder members and partner organisations. Its member and partner roster includes the Premier League, Sky, Virgin Media, TNT Sports, Technicolor, MPLC, and the UK's Intellectual Property Office, alongside enforcement relationships with Crimestoppers, the City of London Police, Police Scotland, TARIAN ROCU, and National Trading Standards. The firm received the King's Award for Enterprise: International Trade in 2024, reflecting its established international client base and operational footprint across the UK and the Middle East.

Name

Federation Against Copyright Theft

Legal name

Federation Against Copyright Theft

Website

https://fact-uk.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) is a UK-founded professional services firm that delivers due diligence, investigations, IP protection, compliance screening, geopolitical risk advisory, and cyber security to enterprise rights holders, financial institutions, and investment migration programme operators worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Investigation and Due Diligence Services

NAICS

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (541)

akta.pro primary industry

Due Diligence & Investigative Research (BPAHALAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Financial Crime, AML/CFT & Sanctions Compliance (BPAHAFAE), Fraud Risk Management & Anti-Bribery/Anti-Corruption (ABAC) (BPAHAFAL), Regulatory Reporting & Recordkeeping (AML/CTF) (FSAMAMAG)

Keywords

• Due diligence services
• Investigations and intelligence
• Intellectual property protection
• Anti-piracy enforcement
• Compliance screening

Headquarters

HQ city

Twickenham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Professional Services: FACT generates revenue through contracted professional services including due diligence, investigations, digital forensics, geopolitical advisory, cyber security, and training & development. Services are delivered by specialist teams working across jurisdictions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

FACT is a UK-based professional services firm delivering due diligence, investigations, intellectual property protection, digital forensics, geopolitical and country risk advisory, training, and cyber security services to enterprise clients. Its offering is supported by two proprietary software tools — TraceGuard for online brand monitoring and enforcement, and RiskMonitor for sanctions, PEP, watchlist and adverse media screening. The firm operates across the UK and Middle East (UAE) and is funded through memberships and contracted engagements with rights holders, financial institutions, governments and investment migration programme operators.

Product overview

FACT offers a portfolio of professional services spanning due diligence, investigations, IP protection, and cyber security. The firm provides two proprietary software tools—TraceGuard for online brand monitoring and enforcement, and RiskMonitor for sanctions, PEP, and watchlist screening—that complement its investigative and advisory services. These tools are purpose-built capabilities derived from the firm's operational methodology and are supported by specialist teams. The broader service offering includes M&A due diligence, ethics and compliance (KYC/KYB), geopolitical risk advisory, training, and cyber security.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TraceGuard: Online monitoring tool for brand, compliance and governance teams that identifies potential misuse, misrepresentation and non-compliant activity across the digital landscape.
• RiskMonitor

Products and services

• M&A and Investment Solutions
• Ethics & Compliance
• Investigations, Disputes & Intelligence
• Geopolitical & Country Risk Advisory
• Training & Development
• Cyber Security Services
• TraceGuard
• RiskMonitor

Quantifiable outcome

• Longest sentences ever issued in the UK for piracy-related crimes: Steven King (7 years 4 months), Paul Rolston (6 years 4 months), Daniel Malone (3 years 3 months) in the 2019 Dreambox case
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

AI capability11 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Henley & PartnersminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 12 May 2026FACT's CEO Andy Maher and Head of Due Diligence Lucy Crotty attended the Global Citizenship Forum in London hosted by Henley & Partners.
• Premier LeaguecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFACT collaborates with the Premier League on anti-piracy enforcement operations, investigations, and prosecutions against illegal streaming services targeting sports content.
• Sky BusinesscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFACT works closely with Sky Business to identify and take action against premises that unlawfully broadcast live sport and protected content.
• CrimestopperscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFACT partners with Crimestoppers to enable the public to report piracy, illegal streaming, and counterfeit products anonymously through the Crimestoppers reporting platform.
• TARIAN Regional Organised Crime UnitcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFACT collaborates with TARIAN ROCU's Economic Crime Team in southern Wales on investigations into financial crimes and intellectual property theft.
• UK Police ForcescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFACT works with police services across the UK including City of London Police and Police Scotland on anti-piracy operations and enforcement actions.
• Investment Migration CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFACT is an active contributor to the IM Due Diligence Community of Practice established under the auspices of the Investment Migration Council, collaborating on best practices and industry standards.
• National Trading StandardscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFACT collaborates with NTS and NTS eCrime on enforcement operations against piracy and counterfeiting.
• Virgin MediaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a FACT member organisation.
• Intellectual Property OfficeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a FACT member organisation.
• MPLCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a FACT member organisation.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pinkerton (Securitas): Global investigative and risk management firm with a long heritage in corporate investigations, brand protection, and supply chain integrity — directly comparable to FACT's IP enforcement and investigations heritage.
• Kroll: Global investigations, due diligence, and risk consulting firm with deep expertise in M&A due diligence, compliance, cyber security, and digital forensics — directly overlapping FACT's M&A, compliance, and investigations disciplines at materially larger scale.
• Control Risks: Specialist risk consultancy delivering political risk, integrity due diligence, investigations, and security services to multinational clients — a closely comparable professional services peer across FACT's due diligence, geopolitical, and investigations service lines.
• S-RM: Intelligence-led consultancy providing due diligence, cyber security, and investigations across multiple jurisdictions — a like-for-like competitor in ethical due diligence, corporate investigations, and compliance screening for enterprise and private clients.
• Nardello & Co: Global investigations firm specialising in due diligence, cross-border investigations, IP and brand protection, and digital forensics — closely mirrors FACT's full-lifecycle mix of investigative services for high-net-worth and corporate clients.
• Hakluyt: Business intelligence firm providing discreet due diligence, strategic intelligence, and investigations to a corporate client base — comparable in advisory character, single-discipline focus, and premium client positioning to FACT.

Emerging players

• ComplyAdvantage: AI-driven financial crime detection and AML/KYC platform providing sanctions, PEP, and adverse media screening — competes directly with FACT's RiskMonitor product for compliance teams seeking tech-led screening.

Broad incumbents

• FTI Consulting: Large global advisory firm offering forensic investigations, compliance, M&A due diligence, and risk advisory as part of a much broader portfolio — overlapping capability but at significantly greater scale and breadth than FACT.
• KPMG Forensic: The forensic and risk advisory practice of a Big Four firm, providing AML, KYC, investigations, and integrity due diligence at global scale — competes with FACT on enterprise-grade KYC/AML and due diligence engagements.

Others

• Dow Jones Risk & Compliance: Provider of proprietary watchlist, sanctions, PEP, and adverse media data feeds used by compliance teams worldwide — overlaps with the data underpinnings of RiskMonitor and supplies competing infrastructure to many of FACT's client-side compliance functions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fact-uk
• Xx.com/factuk

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Federation Against Copyright Theft