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DirecTV Files Federal Lawsuit |
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EL SEGUNDO, Calif., March 1, 2005/Satnews Daily/ — DirecTV, Inc. has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Ft. Lauderdale against seven individuals for fraudulently obtaining DirecTV programming services for other consumers by setting up false subscription accounts and illegally activating receivers.
The suit named Janella McKenzie and William Bernard, of Sunrise, Fla.; Veronica Whitfield, of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; Vinrese Stewart, of Mount Vernon, N.Y.; Marlon Trowers, of Orange, N.J.; Karl Greenland, of Laurelton, N.Y.; and Lisa Mazyck, of Brooklyn, N.Y.; along with a number of unidentified defendants (listed as John Does in the complaint), as defendants.
DirecTV claims the defendants violated provisions of the Federal Communications Act, Federal Wiretap laws and state law, all of which state that it is illegal to intercept or assist others in intercepting DirecTV's encrypted satellite signals without authorization or payment to DirecTV.
DirecTV accused the seven of creating false subscription accounts and illegally activated hundreds of access cards and receivers nationwide for individuals, who then paid the defendants to receive DirecTV programming without authorization or proper payment to DirecTV.
"We will not tolerate this illegal activity," said Dan Fawcett, executive vice president, Legal and Business Affairs, DirecTV, Inc. "Anyone attempting to defraud DirecTV will be identified and may face severe consequences under the provisions of federal and state law.
According to the federal and state laws under which the complaint was filed, DirecTV is entitled to either actual damages, including any profits made by the defendants, or statutory damages that can range from $10,000 to $100,000 per violation, as well as payment of all costs and attorneys' and investigative fees.
In September of last year, DirecTV filed a similar lawsuit against a Utah couple claiming that the defendants created false subscription accounts and illegally activated multiple access cards and receivers. That case is still pending.
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