Online Gamer Allegedly Stole Thousands To Spend On Sleazy Online Game
The FBI charged an online gamer for stealing thousands to use on an online browser game, Evony, which is known in the gaming community to utilize chauvinistic advertising methods to entice gamers to join.
According to Maui Now, David “Kawika” Buchanan, 47, of Moloka’i was officially charged by the FBI for wire fraud charges for an investment scheme. The FBI also reports Buchanan allegedly spent obtained funds on personal items which includes credit card payments, an online girlfriend in the Philippines, and on Evony, and online browser game. These FBI charges come after a five-month long investigation conducted by the Honolulu FBI and the State of Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Securities Enforcement Branch.
FBI Special Agent Tom Simon had this to say about the situation:
“Joint investigations between state securities regulators and the FBI combine investment expertise with criminal authority in the greater interest of justice for fraud victims. This case will serve a model for cooperation in the future in hopes of putting investment schemers out of business in Hawaii.”
Despite being charged by the FBI, Buchanan is technically not arrested. However, in conversations with the FBI, Buchanan admitted to the crimes and plans to plead guilty on May 8. Agent Simon even said that Buchanan “took responsibility for his actions.”
In another report by Kotaku, the FBI states the victim of Buchanan’s wire fraud reached out to the FBI late last year. The victim, a woman who remains anonymous, gave $40,000 to Buchanan, who claimed to be a financial adviser. Buchanan allegedly promised the woman a 650 percent rate of return on her investment claiming he would turn $40,000 into $300,000, as stated in court documents.
What is amazing about this situation is just how much was spent in the online game. Evony was originally released back in 2009. The game came under fire for the aforementioned promotional tactics. This includes the use of advertisements filled with stock photos from adult websites.
It should be reported that the FBI special agent, Tom Simon, was perplexed on the amount spent for the online game. He even made a statement about it, too.
“As a middle-aged, admittedly square, FBI Special Agent who doesn’t play video games, I was understandably perplexed when, during the ‘follow the money’ analysis, I kept seeing payments being made to something I’d never heard of called Evony. A bit of Googling properly identified Evony as an online video game of sorts, but I was still puzzled how anyone could possibly spend thousands of dollars on a video game. I wasn’t being judgmental about the societal value of gaming. I was just dumbfounded that any video game could possibly cost that much.”
The FBI expects Buchanan will plead guilty to the charges, in which sentencing will happen later on in the year.
[Images via Bing]
