The United States Department of Justice has shared some news regarding Team-Xecuter, which doesn't appear to be a good sign for the company. Gary Bowser, known on GBAtemp as garyopa, Max Louarn, and Yuanning Chen have all been arrested in Seattle, Washington. The US Government classifies these men as "leaders of one of the world's most notorious videogame piracy groups", and will be facing a federal indictment charge, for the selling of illegal hardware that facilitates piracy.

“These defendants lined their pockets by stealing and selling the work of other video-game developers – even going so far as to make customers pay a licensing fee to play stolen games,” said U.S. Attorney Brian Moran for the Western District of Washington. “This conduct doesn’t just harm billion dollar companies, it hijacks the hard work of individuals working to advance in the video-game industry.”

The FBI has also been involved, with each defendant to be charged under 11 felony counts, ranging from wire fraud, trafficking circumvention devices, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. One of the defendants, Louarn, has not yet been extradited, though Bowser has, where he was seen in the court hearing that took place today.

In September 2020, Louarn and Bowser were arrested abroad in connection with the charges in this case. The United States will seek Louarn’s extradition to stand trial in the United States. Bowser was arrested and deported from the Dominican Republic, and appeared today in federal court, in New Jersey.

Each defendant is charged with 11 felony counts, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to circumvent technological measures and to traffic in circumvention devices, trafficking in circumvention devices, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Source

 

[Essasetic]

Welp, rip TX. Honestly didn't expect it to end like that.

It's bittersweet imo, they definitely had it coming and I don't agree with their ethical practices but they've still contributed to the scene's advancements in other ways (like the Mariko modchip).

 

[Bladexdsl]

nintendo have crossed the final line. from this day forth you shall be known as:

NINTAPPLE!

 

[swabbo]

CYA

 

[The Catboy]

Not gonna lie, not how I expected them to die.

 

[TunaKetchup]

Switch Lite owners in shambles

The people who are celebrating this are lame

The scene took a big hit today.

 

[Valery0p]

Rip Gateway I guess not a lot more to say.
I mean, they were part of one of the longest running piracy cartels, so it would have happened anyways sooner or later.

 

[HideoKojima]

Seattle really??? I thought no one would do this shit from within the USA... Well RIP my XCI files in any case Switch reached its EOL for me not playing much lately after playing Paper Mario. Ps any chance I can get a refund now? They promised life time support and now they getting a life time in jail XD

 

[shanefromoz]

My belief is that sxos will still be updated via China. The main rep of the business will no longer be Gary but a new person.
Im hoping anyways.

 

[Worldblender]

I knew that all the things that looked wrong with SXOS would lead to these arrests one day. The usage of Atmosphere code without credit, and the usage of the Nintendo Switch SDK for XCI cartridge loading are just two examples of things done wrong. They wouldn't be really tolerated with most free/open-source software projects.
Personally, I feel glad that I chose to stick with Atmosphere, for that it really is the FOSS option for running CFW on Nintendo Switches, and that their anti-piracy stance by default makes them less likely, but not impossible, for the project to be shut down.
Now about the modchips: could a free/open-source hardware version of them pop up, but without advertising the piracy stance?

 

[Purple_Shyguy]

Anyone celebrating this is a total bootlicker.

 

[Chains]

My belief is that sxos will still be updated via China. The main rep of the business will no longer be Gary but a new person.
Im hoping anyways.

Yeah don't worry, it'll be updated. From prison.

 

[leon315]

GUESS LEECHES GOT WHAT THEY DESERVED Pepelaugh

They should really get a better VPN next time.

 

[ItsAshleyFTW]

I love how one of them was named Bowser

 

[J-Machine]

Why would he continue? He is exposed and his employer is gone.

cause he's in china and could easily set up a kickstarter like preorder thing to a manufacturer or simply sell his designs to someone else in china since copyright and trade laws are super lax there among other reasons.

 

[shanefromoz]

Yeah don't worry, it'll be updated. From prison.

You fool. The team is in China. Nintendo will never get a person in China. Gary was just a sales person for the team

 

[AxlSt00pid]

Hope their jailbreaking knowledge helps them out of this

 

[linuxares]

cause he's in china and could easily set up a kickstarter like preorder thing to a manufacturer or simply sell his designs to someone else in china since copyright and trade laws are super lax there among other reasons.

Then it's probably better just to change name and continue like nothing. I don't see that happning. Especially not since Tencent are selling Switches in China. Who are in control of Tencent? The CCP.

 

[Chains]

You fool. The team is in China. Nintendo will never get a person in China. Gary was just a sales person for the team

lol keep hoping fool, cuz if you're wrong then you just wasted money on those TX mod chips.

 

[shanefromoz]

lol keep hoping fool, cuz if you're wrong then you just wasted money on those TX mod chips.

I didnt waste any money.
I have had years of enjoyment for a small fee.
To me there is no loss.

 

[smf]

Can someone explain this one to us laymen?

Money laundering is where you take money from illegal sources and mix it with money from legal sources, because otherwise it's hard to get it into a bank.

For cash (i.e. from drugs or prostitution), you would find a restaurant or other cash based system that would then put through their accounts that they sold more and were paid cash. For TX the money would have to be funneled through companies where you were charging for a service somehow.

The wire fraud charge I think got thrown in because they obtained the money by illegal means and then wired it. It's a bit of a bullshit charge.

conspiracy is where two or more people plan to do something illegal, so even if you don't go through with it (or they can't prove you actually did it) then if they can prove you planned to do it then they can get you on that.