Japanese Pokémon Scarlet & Violet player arrested for selling hacked Pokémon
A man in Uji City, Japan, has reportedly been arrested for selling Pokémon with modified data, a violation of the country's Unfair Competition Prevention Act.
The details:
As reported by NHK (translation via Automaton), Yoshihiro Yamakawa was arrested and accused of selling Pokémon with modified stats for up to 13,000 JPY ($85), as well as offering bundles and custom requests. According to police, the 36-year-old made tens of thousands of dollars between December 2022 and March 2023.
Yamakawa now faces a fine of up to five million JPY ($32,000), as well as up to five years in prison, under Japan's Unfair Competition Prevention Act. The act prohibits the modification and distribution of edited game data in the country.
The Pokémon Company has a reputation for being extremely protective of its IP, with two fans being sued for leaking unreleased images from the Pokémon Sword & Shield strategy guide and eventually settling for $300,000. A former Pokémon legal boss also revealed that the company monitors news and community sites for potential violations of the IP, but that action is typically taken only against those seeking to profit.
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