Man Arrested in Japan for Selling Hacked Pokémon Save Files Online
• A 36-year-old man was arrested in Japan for selling illegally modified Pokémon Violet save data online for up to $84 per file. He took custom orders and sold tampered data between December 2022 and March 2023.
• The man admitted to committing the crimes to earn a living. He faces up to 5 years in prison or a $32,600 fine under Japan's 2019 Unfair Competition Prevention Act.
• This continues a trend of criminals exploiting the popularity of Pokémon games and cards to make money. Other examples include 2021 and 2022 heists targeting valuable Pokémon cards.
• In January 2022, two LA police officers were fired for ignoring a burglary call to chase a Snorlax in Pokémon Go instead.
• The popularity of Pokémon continues to drive criminal activity, as well as extreme fan behavior like ignoring police duties.