Back in late August we reported a significant victory for the DISH Network and the DBS platform’s security provider, NagraStar, as the duo won a mega ($106 million total) judgment against “free-to-air” provider Freetech. Freetech, as you might recall, was snatching the DISH signal and redistributing it – at significant profit – via its receivers.

The U.S. District Court of Northern California didn’t think too much of that and slapped a $97 million judgment against Freetech, $3 million against each of its three top officers plus it barred the company from reopening operations anywhere in the world. But money doesn’t always drive the point home. DISH wanted an apology as well.

Says DISH lawyer in the case, Chad Hagan of the Houston law firm Hagan Noll & Boyle, LLC, DISH hopes that any other would-be pirates “will see this and it will be a reminder that DISH is out there and will come after people” who try to steal its signal

So here you have it, folks ... fresh off the multiple-signing PR machine ... the official Freetech apology to DISH:

"Freetech, Inc., the South San Francisco based importer and distributer of the Coolsat line of Free-to-Air Satellite receivers announces that it will dissolve and cease operations as part of its agreement to resolve a lawsuit filed by DISH Network, EchoStar Technologies and NagraStar (collectively "DISH Network"). DISH Network filed suit against Freetech in December of 2007 asserting that Coolsat receivers were primarily designed and used for the piracy of DISH Network's satellite television programming. Freetech acknowledges that Coolsat receivers were used for this purpose and apologizes for any harm caused to DISH Network. As part of the resolution of the lawsuit, the Court entered a consent judgment finding in favor of DISH Network, EchoStar and NagraStar in the aggregate amount of $106,000,000.00 and entering a permanent injunction against Freetech and its officers and certain employees. Freetech has also agreed to cooperate with DISH Network in its current and future anti-piracy actions."