Andrew8468
July 20th, 2002, 09:28 AM
He was the "London area" man charged just after the CBC story aired.
http://www.canoe.ca/LondonNews/03n1.html
July 20, 2002
U.S. charges Oxford man in conspiracy
U.S. authorities claim William Rath sold satellite access cards.
By Marissa Nelson -- Free Press Reporter
An Oxford County man is at the centre of an illegal satellite hacking ring that raked in more than $870,000 US, American authorities allege.
William Charles Rath, 61, is charged with conspiracy to commit fraud, fraud and conspiracy to launder money for making, using and selling illegal satellite access cards.
The U.S. Attorney's office is trying to get Rath extradited to face the charges. If he's convicted, Rath could face 35 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million US.
Rath was arrested in London by the RCMP in June and released on $100,000 bail. He is to appear in a London court again in September.
Rath's lawyer, Faisal Joseph of Lerner and Associates, said Rath was shocked.
"He was doing repairs on a church door when he was arrested," he said.
Joseph vowed to vehemently fight Rath's extradition since the charges don't include any violent crimes.
"If necessary, we'll appeal it to the Supreme Court of Canada," Joseph said.
According to the June 21 grand jury indictment, Rath and three American men allegedly sold illegally made satellite access cards that allowed people to watch DirecTV without paying the necessary subscription fees.
The indictment outlines an alleged lengthy co-operation, from 1996 to 1999, between the men that saw money transferred to and from Rath's bank account in the Turks and Caicos Islands and access cards shipped around the U.S.
The charges stem from a two-year investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service in the U.S.
Rath allegedly paid out more than $815,000 from his bank account, much of which went to Gregory Chaffin of Ohio -- another of the accused. The indictment also lists incoming payments worth $55,900.
Hancy Jones, spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Department, said officials still haven't arrested two of the accused.
Officials with DirecTV, which conducted its own investigation, said this is an important case for satellite providers.
"This is the first time we've had a Canadian . . . arrested on a U.S. warrant" as an alleged hacker, DirecTV spokesperson Robert Mercer said. "This says, 'You can run but you can't hide.' "
Court decisions about satellite TV are rare. It was only this year the Canadian courts deemed the so-called satellite grey market -- in which Canadians pirate American satellite signals -- illegal.
Some of the allegations included in the indictment are:
¶ In April 1997, $7,000 US was transferred from an account in Kentucky to Rath's offshore bank account as payment for illegal satellite devices. The devices were shipped by one of the accused "at the direction of William Charles Rath."
¶ In April 1997, Rath told Chaffin to send 100 illegal satellite devices to Nashville Airport for one of the accused to pick up.
¶ The indictment calls for the men to turn over all proceeds from the alleged offences, including $870,973 US.
http://www.canoe.ca/LondonNews/03n1.html
July 20, 2002
U.S. charges Oxford man in conspiracy
U.S. authorities claim William Rath sold satellite access cards.
By Marissa Nelson -- Free Press Reporter
An Oxford County man is at the centre of an illegal satellite hacking ring that raked in more than $870,000 US, American authorities allege.
William Charles Rath, 61, is charged with conspiracy to commit fraud, fraud and conspiracy to launder money for making, using and selling illegal satellite access cards.
The U.S. Attorney's office is trying to get Rath extradited to face the charges. If he's convicted, Rath could face 35 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million US.
Rath was arrested in London by the RCMP in June and released on $100,000 bail. He is to appear in a London court again in September.
Rath's lawyer, Faisal Joseph of Lerner and Associates, said Rath was shocked.
"He was doing repairs on a church door when he was arrested," he said.
Joseph vowed to vehemently fight Rath's extradition since the charges don't include any violent crimes.
"If necessary, we'll appeal it to the Supreme Court of Canada," Joseph said.
According to the June 21 grand jury indictment, Rath and three American men allegedly sold illegally made satellite access cards that allowed people to watch DirecTV without paying the necessary subscription fees.
The indictment outlines an alleged lengthy co-operation, from 1996 to 1999, between the men that saw money transferred to and from Rath's bank account in the Turks and Caicos Islands and access cards shipped around the U.S.
The charges stem from a two-year investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service in the U.S.
Rath allegedly paid out more than $815,000 from his bank account, much of which went to Gregory Chaffin of Ohio -- another of the accused. The indictment also lists incoming payments worth $55,900.
Hancy Jones, spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Department, said officials still haven't arrested two of the accused.
Officials with DirecTV, which conducted its own investigation, said this is an important case for satellite providers.
"This is the first time we've had a Canadian . . . arrested on a U.S. warrant" as an alleged hacker, DirecTV spokesperson Robert Mercer said. "This says, 'You can run but you can't hide.' "
Court decisions about satellite TV are rare. It was only this year the Canadian courts deemed the so-called satellite grey market -- in which Canadians pirate American satellite signals -- illegal.
Some of the allegations included in the indictment are:
¶ In April 1997, $7,000 US was transferred from an account in Kentucky to Rath's offshore bank account as payment for illegal satellite devices. The devices were shipped by one of the accused "at the direction of William Charles Rath."
¶ In April 1997, Rath told Chaffin to send 100 illegal satellite devices to Nashville Airport for one of the accused to pick up.
¶ The indictment calls for the men to turn over all proceeds from the alleged offences, including $870,973 US.