Geohot allegedly lied about creating a PlayStation Network account and has now fled the country, according to Sony.
Escapist Magazine reports that court documents filed by Sony claim Geohot altered his hard drives prior having them inspected, lied about creating a PSN account, and has now left the country in order to "dodge" further court action.
"After Magistrate Judge Spero ordered an inspection of Hotz's devices and ordered Hotz to appear at a deposition in California, SCEA learned that Hotz had deliberately removed integral components of his impounded hard drives prior to delivering them to a third party neutral and that Hotz is now in South America, an excuse for why he will not immediately provide the components of his hard drives as requested by the neutral," the motion read. "Hotz's attempts to dodge this Court's authority raise very serious questions."
Sony also believes it has proof that Geohot created a PlayStation Network account.
"Hotz identified four PS3 Systems in his possession," the motion said. "He explained that he had purchased one of these consoles new in February 2010 and provided the serial number for that console. SCEA used that serial number to determine that on February 25, 2010, Hotz purchased the PS3 System at a Gamestop store just miles from his home. CEA's records show that the same PS3 System was used on March 10, 2010 to create a PSN account under the user name 'blickmanic.' The IP address associated with the registration is located in Glen Rock, New Jersey, where Hotz lives."
Of course Sony is clearly trying to paint Geohot in a bad light. This case will likely drag on for months and we really can't see any reason for Geohot to flee, especially considering he has raised the funds necessary for his defense. If anything Geohot seems very excited about the prospect of defeating Sony in court. Perhaps he is trying to take a vacation from all the drama!
We'll let you know when more information becomes available...
Update: As we expected....
"Factually, it's true I'm in South America, on a vacation I've had planned and paid for since November. I mean, it is Spring break; hacking isn't my life. Rest assured that not a dime of legal defense money would ever go toward something like this. And of course Townsend loves the idea of painting me as an international fugitive. I have been in contact with my lawyers almost every day; I would not let the case suffer. That said, I also won't let this ridiculous lawsuit run my life either. Then the fearmongerers win.
I will be back, I hear it's hard to come by the Xperia Play down here."
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Hey you! Your overlooking the point on things. The ability to mod software after it's in our ownership is something we should have the right to. One can buy a vehicle and modify it to their desires and isn't restricted to do so nor even threatened by the car company to tamper with their vehicle in anyway. Electronic software and hardware shouldn't be any different. Yes?
***Edit Of Original***
Hey you! Your overlooking the point on things.
The ability to mod software after it's in our ownership is something we should have the right to.
One can buy a vehicle and modify it to their desires and isn't restricted to do so nor even threatened by the car company it self not to tamper with their product in anyway.
Electronic software and hardware shouldn't be any different. Yes?????
That's the point he is trying to make. PS3 is not a car but it's your because you bought it. If you can't modify something you bought like a PS3 then what else follows? Cars? Homes? Cameras?
Yeah, but when you buy a console, you are buying two separate things: the hardware, which is yours to do whatever you like with; and the software, which you buy a LICENSE, and agree to an EULA before its use and agree that by breaching said contract you loose your right to use the software. It seems pretty fair to me! Don't like the EULA? Vote with your wallet and choose a shitty open source console or hack it breaching the Eula. Just don't bitch if Sony screws you, who just breached a legal contract. Or, you know, play by the rules.
Sony need to get a clue... the impound order was for the hard drives, which GeoHot turned over. There was nothing in the order about RAID controller cards.
I already read that he hasn't fled the country, but merely went to south America for a bit but can still be reached. He already responded to that claim of messing with the data, and in fact he didn't, they just needed a card from his computer (I think a RAID pci card) in order to access the data and he already made arrangements to give them the card of they haven't already done so.