How do you play illicit copies of games on your Nintendo Switch? You mod it, of course! Modding a game system usually involves modifying the software (firmware) or the electronic circuitry.
Who could be behind modding? Many people, but there was one group named “Team Xecuter” known for modding. Inside “Team Xecutor” there was a person named Gary Bowser, who was known as the “salesman” of the group. After the law caught up with Bowser, he eventually pled guilty.
Bowser was sentenced in Feb 2022 to 40 months in prison, combined with a $10 million dollar payment owed to Nintendo for his involvement in selling modding information/devices for the Nintendo Switch. The government pushed for 5 years imprisonment, so this was lower. It sounded as if the judge gave Bowser leniency because he was the least involved in this scheme of his hacking group.
Bowser has already been released from prison, but…
At the end of the day Bowser figures he is paying 25-30% of what he makes for the rest of his life. In addition, he will have to try to make money as a convicted felon which I’m sure will further complicate things for him.
The prison job brought in some meager income, a large part of which went to pay for the outstanding restitution he has to pay, which is $14.5 million in total. Thus far, less than $200 has been paid off.
“I’ve been making payments of $25 per month, which they’ve been taking from my income because I had a job in federal prison. So far I paid $175,” Bowser tells Nick Moses.
If Bowser manages to find a stable source of income in Canada, Nintendo will get a chunk of that as well. As part of a consent judgment, he agreed to pay $10 million to Nintendo, which is the main restitution priority.
“The agreement with them is that the maximum they can take is 25 to 30 percent of your gross monthly income. And I have up to six months before I have to start making payments,” Bowser notes.
https://torrentfreak.com/nintendo-hacker-gary-bowser-released-from-federal-prison-230417/
Further Reading:
- https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/18502256/united-states-v-louarn/
- https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/59831145/nintendo-of-america-inc-v-bowser/
- https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdwa/pr/two-members-notorious-videogame-piracy-group-team-xecuter-custody
- https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdwa/pr/public-voice-and-principal-salesperson-notorious-videogame-piracy-group-sentenced-3
- https://www.databreaches.net/switch-hacker-gary-bowser-released-from-jail-will-pay-nintendo-25-30-income-for-the-rest-of-his-life/
- https://torrentfreak.com/nintendo-hacker-gary-bowser-released-from-federal-prison-230417/ (Photo)
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