INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTOR OF PIRATED SATELLITE EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES AGREES TO PLEAD GUILTY
ENGLEWOOD, Colo., July 19, 2006 – EchoStar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) along with NagraStar announced today that another distributor in an international satellite piracy ring in Simi Valley, California has agreed to plead guilty in a California federal court to two felony offenses – theft of satellite signals and theft of trade secrets. The accused faces a maximum of 15 years in prison and a fine of more than $750,000 plus restitution.
Based on an extensive surveillance operation by EchoStar and NagraStar, the FBI executed a search and seizure warrant against Alexander Gluzman on March 3, 2006. Gluzman was found in possession of devices used for the unauthorized decryption of DISH Network's satellite programming and is expected to be arraigned on the charges July 31st in a Los Angeles District Court.
Gluzman, who lives in the San Fernando Valley, admitted to distributing DISH Network satellite services and equipment to customers throughout the United States and Canada through emails and telephone calls. EchoStar Communications and NagraStar began to track Gluzman's activity in 2005 and were able to record evidence that led to the search and seizure and the theft of satellite signals charge, a violation of Title 47, Section 605(e)(4).
The second charge, theft of trade secrets, a violation of Title 18, Section 1832 (a)(2), is the result of infractions against another national satellite provider discovered during the investigation. Gluzman has admitted to obtaining and unlawfully distributing trade secrets and proprietary information from that provider.
This is only one of many piracy investigations in recent months that EchoStar and NagraStar have followed through to prosecution. The companies have and will continue to fight those who try to circumvent the security system by illegally intercepting and descrambling the satellite signal being provided to legitimate customers.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo., July 19, 2006 – EchoStar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) along with NagraStar announced today that another distributor in an international satellite piracy ring in Simi Valley, California has agreed to plead guilty in a California federal court to two felony offenses – theft of satellite signals and theft of trade secrets. The accused faces a maximum of 15 years in prison and a fine of more than $750,000 plus restitution.
Based on an extensive surveillance operation by EchoStar and NagraStar, the FBI executed a search and seizure warrant against Alexander Gluzman on March 3, 2006. Gluzman was found in possession of devices used for the unauthorized decryption of DISH Network's satellite programming and is expected to be arraigned on the charges July 31st in a Los Angeles District Court.
Gluzman, who lives in the San Fernando Valley, admitted to distributing DISH Network satellite services and equipment to customers throughout the United States and Canada through emails and telephone calls. EchoStar Communications and NagraStar began to track Gluzman's activity in 2005 and were able to record evidence that led to the search and seizure and the theft of satellite signals charge, a violation of Title 47, Section 605(e)(4).
The second charge, theft of trade secrets, a violation of Title 18, Section 1832 (a)(2), is the result of infractions against another national satellite provider discovered during the investigation. Gluzman has admitted to obtaining and unlawfully distributing trade secrets and proprietary information from that provider.
This is only one of many piracy investigations in recent months that EchoStar and NagraStar have followed through to prosecution. The companies have and will continue to fight those who try to circumvent the security system by illegally intercepting and descrambling the satellite signal being provided to legitimate customers.
I hope that FTA receivers and gear remain available and that we are not punished for the hackers bad activities.
