As much as we're going to miss covering the entertaining side show that has been the life of
Bo Stefan Eriksson for the last nine months, we're relieved that the former Gizmondo Europe director has finally admitted some culpability in this strange saga -- and that he'll soon be forced to leave the country and become someone else's problem. After a Los Angeles jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict in Eriksson's grand theft auto case last week --
resulting in a mistrial -- the imaginary friend-loving Swede apparently decided that a retrial coupled with the separate weapons charges would be too much to bear, and ended up receiving a pretty sweet deal from prosecutors. In exchange for pleading guilty to two counts of embezzlement and one count of illegal gun possession, the one-time mobster weaseled his way out of an auto theft charge and ended up receiving a three-year sentence plus three years of probation -- but because of the time he's already served as well as "other allowances," he should be free in about a year. Once he gives up his orange jumpsuit, Eriksson faces immediate deportation from the US, although his lawyer has stated that the now house-less and car-less felon was planning to leave anyway (expect us to be liveblogging his bon voyage party). The only matter that has yet to be settled is how much loot will have to be paid to the British banks who repo'd Eriksson's Mercedes and non-crumpled Ferrari, so after December 7th, ol' Stefan will be lucky to have enough money in his commissary account to afford a package of Twinkies.
[Via
GamesIndustry.biz]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Lewis @ Nov 8th 2006 2:02PM
No doubt he'll come to England, we let anything in for the "benefit of the economy". Hell he'll even get a nice house, protection and a new flatscreen TV courtesy of the taxpayers.
Brendan @ Nov 8th 2006 2:05PM
I don't know whether he got off too easy or whether it's nice to see (a celeb? can he be considered one? a "billionaire" since the money was never actually his?) someone get more than a simple 100 hours of community service or a fine/slap on the wrist.
Farris @ Nov 8th 2006 2:44PM
"...pleading guilty to two counts of embezzlement and one count of illegal gun possession..."
Isn't (Or SHOULDN'T) crashing an Enzo Ferrari illegal too?
Dave Shramek @ Nov 8th 2006 3:07PM
Well, it'll certainly be easier than that dime he did back in the home country (wherein he attempted to blow up a witness for the prosecution) but as an unemployed victim of his and Carl Freer's malfeasance, I'm glad to see even a slight bit of justice.
Majestic_12_x @ Nov 8th 2006 4:16PM
This guy shouldn't be allowed to see the light of day ever again. He and a man named Carl Freer defrauded thousands of investors out of millions of dollars. Eriksson's name deserves to be placed in the same hall of shame as Kenneth Laye of Enron infamy. If any of you guys read the Wired article about this self-serving POS, you'd be surprised to find out that he's just a low level thug who ran the Upsalla Mafia. Seems like anyone can defraud people out of millions these days. I hope that he drops the soap every day.
Brandon @ Nov 8th 2006 4:38PM
Dude's so ugly it probably wouldn't matter if he did drop the soap everyday.
OtakuCODE @ Nov 8th 2006 5:06PM
3 years?
Totally worth it.
Robotron @ Nov 8th 2006 5:10PM
"He and a man named Carl Freer defrauded thousands of investors out of millions of dollars"
Isn't that what the dude from Infinium (aka phantom console) has done on a few occasions?...and he's free.
Anyway reading this made me realized what is wrong with GTA. They need to actually AGE you for your time done in prison. It would be hilarious to see CJ at 60 trying to steal cars. Would make it more realistic as well.
webdog @ Nov 9th 2006 9:46AM
As a final parting gift, the feds should send him on his transcontinental flight in coach... sitting between two large agents... who had garlic for lunch.