A federal judge presiding over a corporate spying suit against News Corp said the company could lose the case worth hundreds of millions of dollars if Chairman and Chief Executive Rupert Murdoch fails to testify about what he knew, according to media reports released Monday.

ABC network reported that it obtained a transcript of an in-chambers hearing during which U.S. District Judge David Carter said, There is a real risk of losing the jury trial if Murdoch does not take the stand and briefly say, 'I didn't do it,' and 'I didn't know about it.'

A News Corporation subsidiary, NDS, is being sued by the EchoStar satellite company of hacking into EchoStar/DISH Network's security code and then posting it on the Internet, allowing the free data to be accessed by criminals and them to copy the security cards used by subscribers to the DISH Network satellite service.

News Corp has denied wrongdoing and that Murdoch knew about the allegation of hacking that took place in the 1990s. Closing arguments are expected this week.

Rupert murdoch Australia