Tech giant Sony has been issued a search warrant by the FBI bearing orders to hand over all information on a PlayStation user who is believed to have used the system's online communication portal to distribute narcotics.
According to Vice, the Bureau filed the search warrant application in Missouri back in October and is now set to continue investigations into the affairs of a male individual named Curtis "Dola" Alexander. The user allegedly used PlayStation's chat system to sell thousands of dollars worth of cocaine.
Sony has since been pressed to disclose all the information they have on Curtis, including the games he played, his progress therein, as well as the physical address and telephone numbers associated with the account.
The FBI says that the gamer, who goes by the PSN username "Speedola20" made contact with someone via said network and orchestrated a cocaine sale worth $34,000 per kilogram. According to the application's report, a Confidential Human Source (CHS) told the FBI Curtis contacted them "during a game" and is assisting the Bureau with its investigation.
The application also claimed that a trap was laid for the alleged trafficker, who would sell 100 grams of white powder for $4,400. Alexander told the CHS they would talk later during gameplay; it's still not clear what game the parties were using but we'd have to cheekily assume Grand Theft Auto. What's confirmed at this point is the means of communication between buyer and seller, which has been mentioned above.
The FBI now wants Sony to provide all the information they have on Curtis "Dola" Alexander. We're not sure why they'd think his game progress is important to their case, though.
Would the penalty be lighter or stiffer based on how far an accused has gotten into a game? If that's the case, we'd have to go with a tougher penalty for lower progress as it would mean he doesn't actually care about the game and is just using it as a means to peddle illegal substances.
Why would anyone want to use PlayStation's chat system to sell drugs anyway? Again, we'd have to say Grand Theft Auto. But it begs the question, what else is going on in PSN chat???
Source: Vice