This is a class action brought on behalf of people who have paid or will be required to pay DirecTV for alleged “pirate violations” as a result of DirecTV’s campaign against consumers who had purchased certain devices. The named plaintiffs purchased devices (smart cards, smart card programmers) for innocent uses. The plaintiffs each received demand letters and responded to these letters with the explanation that they had not committed any satellite theft and had used the technology for legitimate purposes. DirecTV’s investigator/bill collectors would not accept the explanations and refused to negotiate the penalty for alleged piracy. The class action asserts that DirecTV violated RICO by conspiring to extort millions of dollars from consumers by forcing them to pay settlements under the threat of prosecution for purported piracy. The class seeks dissolution of DirecTV and other conspiring enterprises insofar as they are vehicles for illegal conduct, permanent expulsion of all RICO-violating defendants from DirecTV and other conspiring enterprises, money damages, and costs.