Feds Nab 17 in Big Piracy Bust

[Gregg Lengling]

A year-long FBI undercover investigation, targeting software writers and manufacturers of equipment that allows for the theft of satellite TV, nabbed 17 people in seven states, federal authorities revealed Tuesday.

Six of the charged defendants were accused of violating the criminal anti-decryption provisions in the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, said the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles, which participated in the investigation. The charges represent the second time in U.S. legal circles that a grand jury has issued an indictment under the statute.

The investigation, dubbed "Operation Decrypt," caught high-level computer hackers who allegedly worked together in underground, online communities to develop technology to steal satellite TV programming, U.S. Attorney Debra W. Yang said.

DirecTV applauded the federal investigation. "By striking at the heart of those engaged in satellite signal theft - individuals who write the software code and develop and distribute devices used to illegally decrypt satellite TV signals - federal investigators and prosecutors have severely disrupted the vital supply side of the satellite TV piracy chain," the satellite TV service said in a statement.

One defendant in the case already has pleaded guilty: Randyl Walter, 43, of West Los Angeles, pleaded guilty to manufacturing satellite signal decryption devices and has admitted to causing $14.86 million in losses to satellite TV companies, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. Another nine defendants have agreed to plead guilty to charges based on conduct that also caused significant losses.

Six remaining defendants have been named in four indictments that were returned by the federal grand jury last month and unsealed this morning, federal officials said. One additional defendant has been charged in a criminal complaint.

In addition to California, defendants charged in the investigation are from Texas, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina and Florida.

[jlegge]

*looks around nervously*   :eek:

Heh heh.... only kidding, sheesh.