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Racketeering Suit Filed Against DirecTV

dki writes "Another attempt is being made to head off the lawsuits DirecTV has been filing against purchasers of smart-card programmers. This time, lawyers have filed suit under the mob-busting Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) federal organized crime statute, accusing DirecTV of organized extortion, money laundering and fraud. Background on the ongoing saga can be found here and here."

15 of 237 comments (clear)

  1. In other news... by Sklivvz · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...said lawyers were brought away by a medical task force after they started drooling heavily. An eye witness reported that they showed all the symptoms of rabies, including a heavy dose of paranoia...

  2. Re:A blatant karma grab by wembley · · Score: 5, Funny

    Cool. Now I understand "The Sopranos".

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  3. Welcome ! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    I, for one, welcome our new PVR overlords, and look forward to endless hours of enjoyment watching those 4:00 AM infomercials I am too lazy to stay up for.

  4. Dateline: Boston by JavaSavant · · Score: 5, Funny

    Irish Mob accuses DirectTV of copyright infringement over the use of extortion as a business practice...

    1. Re:Dateline: Boston by ncc74656 · · Score: 2, Funny
      Irish Mob accuses DirectTV of copyright infringement over the use of extortion as a business practice...

      s/copyright/patent/g, perhaps? Extortion as a business practice sounds like a business-method patent the USPTO would issue...

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  5. It's interesting... by dspyder · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'm glad somebody is taking them to task and filing lawsuits to at least slow them down a little..... but realistically it's not a bad deal.

    You can get the equipment to watch all the TV (read: porn) you want for a mere $3500....

    The RIAA wants $15,000 for one measly song. Although you can theoretically listen to it indefinitely.

    Although for around 700 bucks you can pick up a Linux license... fun for hours (and that's just the install process)

    --D

    p.s. I pay my DirecTV bill. It ain't that bad and I'm happy to be off cable!!!

  6. Re:About time! by Not_Wiggins · · Score: 3, Funny

    Or even better yet...

    From DirectTV: "We've noticed that you've been watching quite a lot of Skin-a-Max and have school-aged children. We know you're as interested as we are in preventing the exploitation of children, so please pay us the customary 'Certified Responsible Parent' registration fee of $1000, or we'll report this incident to the appropriate child welfare agencies for further investigation."

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  7. Racketeer by Eberlin · · Score: 2, Funny

    DirecTV is playing reruns of The Rocketeer? Hell yeah they should be sued -- that's a crime against humanity, damn it!!!

  8. Re:About time! by mkldev · · Score: 4, Funny
    I think Drew Carey put it best with a line that was something along the lines of "I'd get [the porn channel], but I already get Disney, and if you get them both together, they put you on some kind of list."

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  9. Re:They Know They're Crooked Too.. by mkldev · · Score: 4, Funny
    ...how long until America becomes a completely corporate-run state with a puppet government to speak for it, again?

    Are negative time values legal?

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  10. Re:They Know They're Crooked Too.. by glassesmonkey · · Score: 2, Funny
    how long until America becomes a completely corporate-run state with a puppet government to speak for it...

    I believe the answer you are looking for is the Presidential Election of 2000
  11. Re:It'll fail... by Alien+Being · · Score: 4, Funny

    "If they don't have a case, simply refuse the offer and see them in court (if they at all try)."

    It's like the schoolyard bully who threatens to beat you up if you don't give him your lunch money.

    You can give him your lunch money; you lose, he becomes even more brazen. You can tell him no; you get beaten up and have your lunch money stolen. You can give your money to someone else to *try* to protect you; your money's gone and you might still get clobbered. Or you can join forces with others who are in the same boat and teach the bully a lesson. Sometimes, the best defense is a good offense.

    Not only do I hope they send a strong message to DirecTV, I hope DirecTV's legal staff faces some consequences with the bar association.

  12. Re:Why is this modded as "Funny"? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    all your troll are belong to MY PENIS

  13. New IQ Test by ottothecow · · Score: 2, Funny

    Pay up $3500 and return the machine, IQ: 80
    Pay up $3500 and keep the machine for your legitimate purposes, IQ:
    90 Pretend you dont speak english, IQ: 100
    Happen to be a lawyer and decide to go to court, IQ: 110
    Pay up $3500 that you subsidize by selling machine to your pirate buddy while a huge storm of opportunist lawyers grab at your case, IQ: 130
    Send DirecTV a matching goatse check (linked to CEO's account) and friendly tubgirl thank-you letter, IQ: 150+++

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    Bottles.
  14. Re:SCO was more careful (so far) by dafoomie · · Score: 2, Funny

    They've contacted customers offering licences for "protection" against any legal action.

    "Thats a real nice operating system you've got there, it would be a shame if something happened to it."

    Though I do agree a RICO suit may not be appropriate for SCO, but legal action is definitely in order (against SCO).