You might recall the story of an English man who pled guilty to stealing millions in virtual poker chips. He was facing a possible prison term, and he will indeed be headed to the slammer — for two years.
According to the Guardian, Ashley Mitchell made more than $87,000 by selling the stolen chips for Zynga’s online poker game. However, the total amount he stole — based on how much would have been generated if they were sold legitimately — is equal to $12 million. It’s strange territory, as these are virtual items that were stolen, not physical chips, so it’s arguable if their retail value should be taken into account. However you may feel, Judge Philip Wassall wasn’t especially kind in his judgment.
“The dishonesty in this case was substantial and protracted,” he said. “Online security is a priority for everyone these days. You deprived Zynga of income. It is quite clear you used a considerable degree of expertise and persistence to hack into the system.
