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$180 Million for Piracy Conspiracy

theCoder writes "According to an AP story printed in the Orlando Sentinel, Steven R. Frazier has been ordered to pay $180 million restitution for attempting to sell a device that would decrypt the satellite signals sent into everyone's homes. In addition to spending the next 5 years in Federal prison, Frazier will have to pay $500 a month for the next 30,000 years, though no one really expects him to live long enough to make all the payments. That value is based on estimated loses DirectTV and Echostar may have incurred had Frazier been able to sell his devices. Being ordered to pay restitution for actual damages is one thing, but paying for some made up number of future damages? Maybe if I catch someone trying to break into my car, I can sue him for the damage he would have caused if he succeeded..."

8 of 734 comments (clear)

  1. Re:too harsh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    they don't put people to death for attempted murder, do they? that seems a little harsh to me.

    No, but sometimes they do issue more than one death sentence. I guess they do that just in case being dead once already isn't enough.

  2. Re:too harsh by Chemical · · Score: 5, Funny

    Seriously. Do they give a Nobel prize for attempted chemistry? Do they?

  3. Re:Wasn't smart enough. by parliboy · · Score: 4, Funny

    Rough Translation:

    "Anyone trying to steal satellite feeds deserves to rot in jail.

    Especially if he doesn't tell me how to do it too."

    --
    "You're never ready, just less unprepared."
  4. All I want to know is... by solarrhino · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...will he get cable in his cell? And will he have to pay for it?

    --
    "Lord, grant that I may always be right, for Thou knowest that I am hard to turn" -- A Scots-Irish prayer
  5. Re:Land of the free? by Hogwash+McFly · · Score: 5, Funny

    Frazier will have to pay $500 a month for the next 30,000 years

    Man this dude's gonna be pissed when we discover the secret to immortality in 50 years time!

    --
    Mother, do you think they'll like this sig?
  6. On that subject... by Hogwash+McFly · · Score: 3, Funny

    There's the old gem of a story of the man who was sentenced to death but tried to kill himself while waiting on death row. He was declared legally dead as doctors battled to save him (pretty ironic: 'let's save him from death so that we can kill him!') but through some miracle was revived and declared to have served his sentence and was released.

    What a great line for chicks at parties:

    You know, I just got out of prison....

    Really? What was your sentence?

    *Pause for effect, then grin* Death....

    --
    Mother, do you think they'll like this sig?
  7. Re:punishment fitting the crime by walterbyrd · · Score: 5, Funny

    >>There is something severely wrong about financially crippling somebody for life..

    I take it you're not familiar with divorce settlements?

  8. When I Saw The Headline by Master+of+Transhuman · · Score: 3, Funny

    I thought someone was OFFERING $180 million for a piracy conspiracy and I was ready to step up...

    Oh, well, back to temping...

    --
    Richard Steven Hack - This sig is TOO GODDAMN SHORT TO DO ANYTHING USEFUL WITH! MORONS!