The FCC has reached a settlement with a Boston-area pirate radio operator for multiple unauthorized FM stations, undercutting claims from some critics that current Commission enforcement actions against unlicensed broadcasters lack teeth.
In 2024, the FCC issued a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture proposing a $597,775 penalty under the PIRATE Act to Jean Marius for “Radio Tele Planet Compas.” The enforcement action stems from alleged pirate radio operations on 105.3 MHz and 89.3 MHz from three separate locations in Brockton, Randolph, and Mattapan.
After Marius submitted financial documentation showing an inability to pay the full forfeiture, and FCC field agents confirmed the stations were no longer active, the Commission agreed to reduce the penalty through a consent decree. Under the terms, Marius will pay $10,000 and faces an automatic additional $587,775 penalty if he reoffends or violates the agreement during its 20-year term.
The agreement, approved by Enforcement Bureau Acting Chief Patrick Webre, terminates the investigation and resolves three separate field cases. In its settlement, Webre emphasized the risks pirate radio poses to public safety systems such as the Emergency Alert System and reinforced its commitment to strict enforcement.
The FCC’s focus on pirate radio continues under Chair Brendan Carr, building on former Chair Jessica Rosenworcel’s aggressive enforcement efforts. Carr has upheld the agency’s commitment by issuing significant fines under the PIRATE Act. This follows Rosenworcel’s legacy, under which over $340 million in pirate radio penalties were imposed during her tenure.
