Joined: Dec 08, 2006 Posts: 2337 Location: Repping the (216) yo
Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 4:51 am Post subject: Interesting news
Ok so I'm at work reading the paper on break when an article catches my eye:
Federal Probe Targets Bootleg Video Games
By Dan X McGraw
From the Cleveland Plain Dealer
8-2-07
Spurred by a yearlong federal investigation in Cleveland, the US Department or Immigration and Customs Enforcement executed 32 search warrents across the country in connection with bootleg video games
The investigation is the largest of its kind, customs officials said. Agents executed search warrents at buisinesses, storefronts, and residence in 16 states. The case involves the sale and distribution of illegal modification chips and disc copyright circumvention devices.
The equiptment allows users to play pirated and/or counterfeit software on video game consoles including Sony's Playstation 2, Microsoft's Xbox and Xbox 360, and Nintendo's Wii.
U.S. Attorney Greg White's office, which is headquartered in Cleveland, is coordnating the investigation, which began in August 2006 when ICE undercover agents here began buying equiptment.
Officials declined to release the names in the case. The warrents, which were issued wednesday, were for locations that are directly involved in the imoportation, instilation, sale, and distribution of the devices, authorities said.
Customs officials said the search warrents were to gather evidence against suspects. No one was arrested or charged wednesday.
One of the sites searched was in Greater Cleveland. Others were in Claifornia, Floridia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, and Wisconsin.
The crime carries a sentence of up to 5 years in prison and a $5000 fine per violation. A second violation can result in a 10-year sentence and up to a $1 million fine. _________________
Joined: Dec 08, 2006 Posts: 2337 Location: Repping the (216) yo
Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 4:55 am Post subject:
Now.... nowhere in the article does it say anything about bootleged or pirated sogftware. Just the sale of mod chips. Thats like going to Sony or any other company the produces DVD burners with warrents. I mean come one.... Just because someone has the capabilities to bootleg something dosnt mean they have a part in it. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems to me that the feds are unfairly targeting modders. Maybe someone at sony or microsoft is putting pressure on them. If anyone knows anymore details about this investigation or who got raided, feel free to post. _________________
dartht33bagger Moderator
Joined: Apr 17, 2007 Posts: 5408 Location: Oregon, USA
Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 8:57 am Post subject:
I saw that on G4 today and thought, why would they get warrents for them if all they are doing is selling the product. Its not like their telling everyone that buys a mod chip to go and pirate as many games as you can from blockbuster....just my 2 cents though.... _________________
Joined: Dec 08, 2006 Posts: 2337 Location: Repping the (216) yo
Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 9:02 am Post subject:
Thats what I was thinking too. Plus, shouldnt the department of customs and imigration enforcement be going after all the illegals we got hopping the border? _________________
SCARFACE Administrator
Joined: Feb 06, 2007 Posts: 2470 Location: Minnesota, USA
Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 10:20 am Post subject:
Yes they are targeting more of the modders then the people that acually sell the chips it seems. I use my Modchip with the sodderless adaptors to fix xboxs that have common errors. Why pay somone $100+ to fix something that you can fix for $20-50 depending on what chip you buy. Also i see people that use these chips to get bigger harddrives installed and to put all there xbox games onto them that they own there should not be nothing wrong with this, I live at a housee with kids there and i dont want them scratching up my xbox games that once costed $30-50 a game i have 45 xbox games now add that up and tell me do i want to lose all that and have to keep buying new ones. Hell no, They need to respect the people that use them for the reason to fix or keep there investment safe not thinking every single person is a bootlegger cus they have a modchip in there house. There is people out there that love to game and dont have much money to keep rebuying the same game cus theres gets ruined so they invest in something that will keep it safe from geting ruined. Well here is something on xbox-scene about someone comeing forward after geting raided. This again is on the main page of Xbox-Scene if you want to check it out but this is everything that was on there so here ya go.
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