Last year saw the arrest of two members of Team Xecuter, the hacking group behind the infamous SX OS. MaxConsole administrator and GBAtemp user GaryOPA was a part of that, and was extradited from Canada to the United States, where he would face charges. While he initially claimed he was innocent, the opposing prosecution did not accept the defense of SX OS merely allowing Nintendo Switch users to play homebrew software, and asserted that the main goal of Team Xecuter's exploit was to play pirated copies of games.

Faced with 11 felony counts, Bowser has just pleaded guilty to two of them: trafficking in circumvention devices and conspiracy to circumvent technological measures. According to the court, Team Xecuter has caused an estimated number between $65 million to $150 million in losses to video game companies.

This means that Bowser will not have to go to trial, with the plea deal also waiving the other 9 criminal charges. Despite that, he still may face prison time, and as part of the deal, has agreed to pay Nintendo for restitution, to the tune of $4.5 million. Bowser will also have to consent to the destruction or give up the technology seized from his home during his arrest, which includes around 30TB of hard drives, micro SDs, and flash drives, along with laptops, phones, modchips, and hacked game consoles.

Source

 

[Alexander1970]

....I am sure he can pay the "Fine".....right out of his Purse......

 

[Bladexdsl]

Smithers, my wallet's in my right front pocket!

 

[JuanMena]

Wow, he casually has 4.5 million?

 

[ChibiMofo]

He's facing up to 5 years on the plea deal and his co-conspirators are facing up to 20. Always good to see scum brought to justice. Enjoy your time in prison, Gary!

 

[regnad]

So long, Ga(r)y Bowser!

 

[Jiehfeng]

This will go down in history.

 

[zoogie]

Damn, 4.5 million. He could've bought Resetera if he hadn't gotten busted

 

[Ottoclav]

Are we okay with this? Am I supposed to hate this guy, or think he is a Martyr? I'm so confused.

 

[osaka35]

pleading guilty means precedence wasn't set, right?

Are we okay with this? Am I supposed to hate this guy, or think he is a Martyr? I'm so confused.

why not both?

 

[Purple_Shyguy]

He's facing up to 5 years on the plea deal and his co-conspirators are facing up to 20. Always good to see scum brought to justice. Enjoy your time in prison, Gary!

Scum? He sold mod chips and a custom firmware that we all use. This entire site is built around hacking, piracy, mod chips etc for decades.

 

[tpax]

Damn, 4.5 million. He could've bought Resetera if he hadn't gotten busted

Why would he buy a place that's crowded by mentally ill individuals?

Also don't get all the hate. TX were the first to bring mods and piracy to the Switch, and the only ones to release a working modchip. People should be thankful.

 

[kcajjones]

I hardly think this crime has actually hurt anyone. I'm not saying what he did/what SX is, is right, but it's clearly not hurt switch sales of hardware or software in any large way, and no one is suffering because of it, except those responsible.

Hacking the switch was a great success, however, as always, trying to profit from it is where you become as bad as Nintendo themselves. Sx's priority of piracy above homebrew was absolutely clear from day one. Had they just sold the OS with the ability for others to install addons/launchers for piracy it may have been different.

 

[Blavla]

Respect , he opened the world of v2 cfw. Thank you

 

[djpannda]

sooo.. does what mean we get an update now?

 

[mikefor20]

Are we okay with this? Am I supposed to hate this guy, or think he is a Martyr? I'm so confused.

You're supposed to think for yourself. This is why SX has so much hate in the first place. Bandwagon thinking. Sjw zombies don't even know a damn thing. Typical.

 

[Ericzander]

pleading guilty means precedence wasn't set, right?

By pleading guilty instead of being found guilty or not guilty at trial, the court doesn't have to articulate its reasoning behind it's ruling. So in that way precedence wasn't set because we don't know how the court will rule.

Whether the precedence would have been binding or persuasive in the first place is a different story and, at this point, hypothetical. Unless Bowser appeals this ruling within the appropriate timeframe and renters his plea of not guilty.

 

[pedro702]

I hardly think this crime has actually hurt anyone. I'm not saying what he did/what SX is, is right, but it's clearly not hurt switch sales of hardware or software in any large way, and no one is suffering because of it, except those responsible.

Hacking the switch was a great success, however, as always, trying to profit from it is where you become as bad as Nintendo themselves. Sx's priority of piracy above homebrew was absolutely clear from day one. Had they just sold the OS with the ability for others to install addons/launchers for piracy it may have been different.

preety sure he hurted alot of software sales , with the switch having so much install base more than 90 millions consoles even if it was like 1% of hacked switchers that would be a damn huge money that was lost of software sales nintendo and 3rd party alike.

 

[ZeroFX]

rip

 

[Kioku]

Team Xecuter has caused an estimated number between $65 million to $150 million in losses to video game companies.

Riiiiight... What a range this is...