FCC Confirms Huge Fine Against Radio Impacto 2

[ChrisSmolinski]

The FCC has confirmed a record pirate radio fine of $2.3 million against the operators of an unlicensed station in New York City.

The commission says César Ayora and Luis Angel Ayora never replied to its notice of apparent liability issued last March. The FCC says the Ayoras are guilty of the “longstanding illicit operation of an unauthorized radio station known as Radio Impacto 2” on 105.5 MHz in Queens.

“Some of the most egregious pirate radio operations are run by individuals who have ignored prior enforcement actions by the commission,” the FCC wrote. “This is one such case. As such, it merits the strongest possible enforcement measures to the fullest extent of the law.”

Separately the FCC affirmed a fine of $80,000 against Thomas Barnes for alleged pirate radio broadcasting on 100.5 MHz in La Grande, Ore., for operating “Eastern Oregon Pirate Radio.”


Full article: https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/business-and-law/fcc-confirms-huge-fine-against-radio-impacto-2

[shadypyro]

Wonder how they gonna pay that? That is a lot of money

[John Poet]

They won't....

The FCC had a poor record of collecting fines, even back when they were a few thousand dollars... and the US Justice Department, who would have been their primary means of collection action, had better things to do...

Millions??   This is a CROCK! 

Even if they had the means, which they probably don't, they would hang onto their money and skip town!

They will probably fold the station, and restart as another name and frequncy---
but if they are selling advertising and actually making money off their operation,
they may continue for a little longer--- using remote unmanned sites,
where there is no one who can be arrested....

[East Troy Don]

You're right, JP.   Having spent 45 years in loss mitigation, asset management and paralegal debt collection I can tell you that the 1st rule of debt collection is not how much is owed, its how much can you get?  First the plaintiff (in this case the FCC) has to get a judgment against the defendant to prove in court that the debt is legally owed.  The defendant has to be served with a subpoena (good luck finding them) . If they successfully serve them they probably won't show up in court . The FCC can  then get a default judgment which will probably be worthless because the defendants are long gone.  It makes zero sense to spend the money to collect on this debt.  But then again , it IS the Federal government so.........

[John Poet]

You're right, JP.   Having spent 45 years in loss mitigation, asset management and paralegal debt collection I can tell you that the 1st rule of debt collection is not how much is owed, its how much can you get?  First the plaintiff (in this case the FCC) has to get a judgment against the defendant to prove in court that the debt is legally owed.  The defendant has to be served with a subpoena (good luck finding them) . If they successfully serve them they probably won't show up in court . The FCC can  then get a default judgment which will probably be worthless because the defendants are long gone.  It makes zero sense to spend the money to collect on this debt.  But then again , it IS the Federal government so.........

Once I got a call from a debt collector who was seeking to collect a debt against my ex-wife....
but they used her remarried name, and I said "never heard of her!"
after which they politely ended the phone call. LOL

It was only afterwords that I realized whom they were talking about...

[Ct Yankee]

Wonder how they gonna pay that?

Obviously with their lone asset, makegood public service radio commercials for FCC Pirate Radio enforcement.    🤣