US AG officially indicts console mod-chippers over 2007 raids

[garyopa]

Nearly 5 years later!



Department of Justice announced indictments against ten individuals subject of a 2007 raid targeting alleged video game console mod chip suppliers and sellers!!

Back in 2007, Federal agents carried out a series of raids against individuals and businesses in 16 US states as part of an investigation into the distribution and sale of mod chips. This one was dubbed "Operation Tangled Web". This is a little background:

The 32 search warrants were executed by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from 22 offices, with assistance from the gaming industry.

Those targeted by Operation Tangled Web are accused of direct involvement with the console-modding community, including those engaging in the import, distribution, sale, and installation of mod chips for the PlayStation 2, Nintendo Wii, Xbox, and Xbox 360. The ICE was the lead agency in the raids due to its responsibility for keeping counterfeit and pirated goods off of US store shelves.

The raids come in the wake of the arrest of a San Diego resident for selling pirated games and modded consoles. Frederick Brown was arrested in late June by the San Diego Computer and Technology Crime High-Tech Response Unit after advertising his services on Craigslist and other web sites.

Well, now, nearly five years later, Department of Justice announced indictments against ten of those alleged video game console mod chip suppliers.

The ten individuals, who hail from Florida, New York, Texas, Ohio, Illinois, and Massachusetts, were the focus of "Operation Tangled Web," an industry-aided effort undertaken by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency in the summer of 2007. They've been charged with violating the Digital Millenium Copyright Act by trafficking in mod chips for the PlayStation 2, Nintendo Wii, Xbox, and Xbox 360, devices prosecutors say are "primarily designed to circumvent technological measures designed to effectively control access to a work copyrighted under Title 17 of the United States Code, for purposes of commercial advantage or private financial gain."

Little is know about the charges and sentences, but this is what was brought up:

The indictments generally charge that the defendants knowingly manufactured, imported, offered to the public, or otherwise trafficked in technology, products, services, devices, components or parts thereof, which were primarily designed to circumvent technological measures designed to effectively control access to a work copyrighted under Title 17 of the United States Code, for purposes of commercial advantage or private financial gain.

If convicted, the defendants’ sentences will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to their case, including the defendants’ prior criminal records, if any, the defendants’ role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.

Of course, defenders note that console mod chips have extensive legal uses as well...

For this reason, last year the Electronic Frontier Foundation formally requested (PDF) that the US Copyright Office exempt mod chips from DMCA enforcement, much as it has excepted "jailbroken" smartphones since 2010. A final ruling on that request is expected later this year.

We will have to follow closely the development of these cases in the upcoming days!

NEWS SOURCE #1: http://www.justice.gov/usao/ohn/news/10april2012_2.html
NEWS SOURCE #2: http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2...ears-later.ars

Our thanks to 'Gauss' for writing up this news story for us!

[wewii]

I wonder what would happen if US citizens tipped off the Feds to the fact that the billions in bail out tax money given to the banking industry was stolen and misused to create record profits and bonuses.

I wonder what would happen if the Feds became aware of the fact that corporations are exporting high quality US jobs that would otherwise enrich the fabric of American society; just so the few can line their pockets with gold while leaving their fellow country men to starve in the streets, rot in jail for ludicrous laws or die in fake wars of private economic interest flying under a false flag.

How many people would be arrested?

ZERO


Hypocrites can go suck a nut. Lead by positive example.... not by massive systematic corruption.

[billysastard]

I wonder what would happen if US citizens tipped off the Feds to the fact that the billions in bail out tax money given to the banking industry was stolen and misused to create record profits and bonuses.

I wonder what would happen if the Feds became aware of the fact that corporations are exporting high quality US jobs that would otherwise enrich the fabric of American society; just so the few can line their pockets with gold while leaving their fellow country men to starve in the streets, rot in jail for ludicrous laws or die in fake wars of private economic interest flying under a false flag.

How many people would be arrested?

ZERO


Hypocrites can go suck a nut. Lead by positive example.... not by massive systematic corruption.

as you say, nothing would happen because the feds like the rest of government dont work for the citizens but for the corporations.

the banks tanked the worlds economy and got rewarded for it but guys like these,assange, geohotz and kim dotcom get destroyed as best they can be often by completely illegal means.

[wewii]

I wouldn't say Geohotz... he got bought out by the system. They own him now. He is one of them now, another puppet among countless others. Just another cog/gear in the machine.

[billysastard]

I wouldn't say Geohotz... he got bought out by the system. They own him now. He is one of them now, another puppet among countless others. Just another cog/gear in the machine.

you do know he quit facebook?

[MadonnaProject]

I wouldn't say Geohotz... he got bought out by the system. They own him now. He is one of them now, another puppet among countless others. Just another cog/gear in the machine.

Let's be real here. Geohot was not getting any esteem or respect in the scene. in fact the ps3 scene was horrific to him as it is filled by probably the worst followers. he was initially panned for hacking their precious system, then he was dragged through court. even then when he stuck to his "leet" guns, the following simply called him a virgin and loser blah blah blah. So obviously he decided to switch. Who wouldn't?

We are not in the days of the 90's where hack groups command respect.

[wewii]

you do know he quit facebook?

Hmm never knew that. Why did he quit?

[IJTF_Cinder]

Let's be real here. Geohot was not getting any esteem or respect in the scene. in fact the ps3 scene was horrific to him as it is filled by probably the worst followers. he was initially panned for hacking their precious system, then he was dragged through court. even then when he stuck to his "leet" guns, the following simply called him a virgin and loser blah blah blah. So obviously he decided to switch. Who wouldn't?

We are not in the days of the 90's where hack groups command respect.

The mountain dew drinking, Cheetos eating, mommy's basement dwelling dorks were the ones mad at him...cause it was "his fault" PSN went down and they couldn't couldn't play their precious Call of Duty daily anymore.

I say this for real, cause I actually overheard a conversation in a restaurant between two guys about it, and how they hated this dude that hacked the PS3, it's his fault PSN got hacked etc etc

[billysastard]

Hmm never knew that. Why did he quit?

if i remember correctly he said something like "it wasn't for me".