michael devon smith: cybercrime investigator

 With the expansion of cable television services in the1990s, the public’s hunger for video entertainment grew proportionately. Unfortunately, cable piracy and theft of services became rampant, resulting in millions of dollars in lost revenue. The overwhelming criminal activity forced cable companies to hire specially trained investigators to mitigate losses by actively pursuing the arrest and prosecution of cable pirates. California Penal Code 593d gave cable companies the tools to pursue active criminal investigations. Law enforcement agencies, including DHS, IRS, FBI, Secret Service, and local Police and Sheriff’s departments, worked closely with private sector investigators to stop the spread of intellectual property theft.