Notorious Canadian Satellite Pirate Pleads Guilty to Felonies Related to Theft of DIRECTV Service
Reggie Scullion to Forfeit $4 Million in Cash and Property
EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Nov. 10, 2005 -- The career of one of Canada's most notorious satellite signal thieves came to an end in Quebec Superior Court late last week, when Reggie Scullion pled guilty under the Criminal Code of Canada to two felony counts related to theft of DIRECTV service. He also agreed to forfeit more than $4 million (Canadian dollars) in cash and other property that had been seized by the government in connection with the case -- $1.1 million of these funds will be distributed to DIRECTV, the remainder to Revenue Canada and other creditors. Scullion, a resident of Quebec, received a suspended sentence of one year, and under a civil judgment obtained by DIRECTV, he is permanently enjoined from engaging in activities related to theft of DIRECTV service. "Reggie Scullion's long career in satellite signal theft has finally come to an end," said Dan Fawcett, executive vice president of Business & Legal Affairs, DIRECTV, Inc. "He caused significant damage to DIRECTV, first through his sale of modified access cards and other pirate access devices, and later through his advocacy of piracy. We are gratified that he has been forced to answer for his criminal activity." Scullion has a long history of signal theft, selling C-band piracy devices in the 1980s, and through his companies V-Cipher and Avantec Wizpoppitz,
engaged in DIRECTV piracy in the 1990s. Scullion also operated a Web site that advocated satellite TV piracy and offered misleading information about law and technology related to satellite signal theft. In late 1998, the Canadian government executed a search warrant at Scullion's home and business and seized over 10,000 DIRECTV access cards -- which authorize the reception of DIRECTV programming -- dozens of computers, weapons, and over $4 million (Canadian dollars) in cash, bonds, and bank drafts. In 2000, after he failed to appear and defend himself against a suit brought by DIRECTV in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, DIRECTV obtained an injunction and judgment of $19 million (US dollars) against him based on evidence of his sales of pirate access devices into the United States. DIRECTV initiated an action in Canadian court, which held that the judgment and injunction were fully enforceable in Canada.