Lawsuit alleges Apple conspired with Mafia, put hidden receivers in iPods for transmitting death threats

What you are about to read is from an actual court filing. Gregory McKenna has filed suit against Apple, which he alleges is conspiring with the mob in an effort to coerce him to return to a New York-based modeling agency he quit in 2000. As explained in the 124-page complaint, an iPod shuffle he bought on eBay in 2005 and an iPod mini he bought new from an Apple store in 2006 -- possibly a nano, as minis were discontinued a year prior -- both contain receivers that have allowed the Mafia to send audio death threats that play in tandem with his music. The suit seeks $14.3 million total and lists ten defendants in all, including a local mechanic, a private investigator, the St. Louis Police Department, the FBI, and the US Department of Justice. While our initial reaction is to laugh at the ridiculousness of it all, it's hard not to feel sad for McKenna and his state of mind -- of course, if by some stroke of fate he manages to prove it was all one big conspiracy perpetrated by the Mafia, well, guess we'll be ending up with egg on our faces.

[Via TUAW]

[o29 @ Jul 20th 2009 10:01PM]

...you're telling me you guys DON'T believe this? Geez, talk about Apple bias.

[Why should I have all the fun? @ Jul 20th 2009 10:15PM]

How is this funny? Does this amuse you? Is this guy like a clown? Maybe it's me. Maybe I'm effed up or something but what is so damn funny?

[JohnWesleyHarding @ Jul 20th 2009 10:25PM]

I think what everyone finds so funny is how absurd the claim is, which is also very sad since the person either believes this, or believes that he could actually win a case like this.

[SOCOMRAIDER @ Jul 21st 2009 12:04AM]

Watch out for Don Jobs!

[Marbles @ Jul 20th 2009 11:48PM]

Want to whack a rival crime boss? There's an App for that!

[jon @ Jul 21st 2009 12:06AM]

Please, we all know that if any company is going to join some vast conspiracy with the mob, a mechanic, and the DoJ, to harass some out of work male escort, it's Apple.

[Quix @ Jul 21st 2009 12:07AM]

I smell Ballmer...

[Nathan Otis @ Jul 21st 2009 12:31AM]

@Marbles:

+1

[Mmmm... Dohnuts. @ Jul 21st 2009 1:04AM]

@Marbles

iMob?

[csv @ Jul 21st 2009 1:49AM]

Sorry to say this but I belive this is true...I used to have a Ipod MIni and from time to time used to 'play songs or non sense things that I ever listened to so I throw it away...but now I see why used to do that

[10minutehobo @ Jul 21st 2009 6:03AM]

Engadget doesn't want to get on the bad side of Steve Mobs.

[Generalguy41 @ Jul 20th 2009 10:03PM]

I do really feel bad if he does have some sort of mental disability... but otherwise...

ha... haha...hahahahaaha...... HHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.


PS. ha

[electron @ Jul 20th 2009 10:13PM]

you missed a ha ;)

anyway, on the post, even if there really is a transmitter, did it ever occur to you that MOB might have put a transmitter in there, and not apple?!?

[KarlW @ Jul 20th 2009 10:19PM]

I think everybody misses a-ha

[loosely_coupled @ Jul 20th 2009 10:51PM]

He clearly has paranoid schizophrenia.. He says his girlfriend's and mom's cars both play death threats over the speakers when he is driving.. It's very sad that he has not been helped yet. That said, it is hard not to laugh..

[Mike P. @ Jul 20th 2009 10:53PM]

I thought you were kidding about the car-being-bugged bit, but then I clicked the "read" link.

[Generalguy41 @ Jul 20th 2009 10:55PM]

Hence my minor... "disclaimer" of sorts. Had I read further into it, I would have had a less... "insulting"? (for whoever has gotten offended) comment. That being said, it doesn't help that Engadget doesn't point that out in the post.

[Chuckles McGee @ Jul 21st 2009 2:25PM]

I really wouldn't be surprised if it turns out this guy is a schizophrenic.

[the4thheat @ Jul 21st 2009 7:30PM]

Yeah I can't believe this guy's lawyer or someone at the court didn't just call the psychiatric hospital...this sounds exactly like schizophrenia.

[coolbho3000 @ Jul 20th 2009 10:04PM]

I KNEW IT!

[James @ Jul 20th 2009 10:14PM]

You and him are both morons because its was obviously done by robots sent from the future to make sure he is working at that New York based modeling agency so that he can lead the resistance...

The mob was so 20th century.

[murmermer @ Jul 20th 2009 11:12PM]

Thats going to be my defense!!!

" I swear judge Microsoft working with PETA made me do it! Listen to my Zune and you will hear PETA tell me to let all the animals out of the zoo!"

[Generalguy41 @ Jul 20th 2009 11:15PM]

My iPod shuffle tells me to burn things :)

[Mmmm... Dohnuts. @ Jul 21st 2009 12:58AM]

My iPod Nano... burns things.

[Boards of Canada @ Jul 21st 2009 8:51AM]

When I press play on my ipod, I can ear Bruce dickinson telling me to die with my boots on.

[Jon @ Jul 20th 2009 10:06PM]

iPod Minis were discontinued in 1998?

[Taylor. Yes, Taylor. @ Jul 20th 2009 10:12PM]

Apparently.
-Taylor

[SABRAGE @ Jul 20th 2009 10:28PM]

They fixed it, but I noticed that too and was confused for a bit.

[LiQuiD_FuSioN @ Jul 21st 2009 12:41AM]

Bent a little? Hahaha. Please.

Generalguy41 would be generally correct, btw. Unless you can prove otherwise.

[smp @ Jul 21st 2009 1:27AM]

No.

[Nutjob @ Jul 20th 2009 10:06PM]

At last the truth comes out.

[AndrewNoNumbers @ Jul 20th 2009 10:20PM]

Apparently indeed.

[SABRAGE @ Jul 20th 2009 10:37PM]

damn it, that response was meant for Jon

[Nutjob @ Jul 20th 2009 10:44PM]

Yeah I was wondering what you where on about. I thought you were CRAZY!

[Generalguy41 @ Jul 20th 2009 10:46PM]

That would be ironic coming from the one with the name "Nutjob"

[Nutjob @ Jul 20th 2009 10:50PM]

Ah, that would not be ironic. It might be the pot calling the kettle black, or even hypocritical if you bent it a little, but not ironic. Look it up.

[Generalguy41 @ Jul 20th 2009 10:56PM]

Well at least you knew what I meant... it's been a late night, can't think straight XD

[Nutjob @ Jul 20th 2009 10:59PM]

You're forgiven.

[rippinhonda @ Jul 21st 2009 3:15AM]

He has to win this case so he can pay for his schizophrenia electric shock therapy. Let's hope his shuffle accidentally sends enough voltage through the ear buds so he doesn't have to!

[Zak @ Jul 21st 2009 12:18PM]

Taylor - is there any particular reason we need to see your name three times in a post containing one word?

[ohsnapitstahj @ Jul 20th 2009 10:06PM]

WTF?

[Jason @ Jul 20th 2009 10:15PM]

Wtfwtf?

[Mmmm... Dohnuts. @ Jul 21st 2009 1:02AM]

¡FTW!|¡WTF!

[Jay L @ Jul 20th 2009 10:06PM]

This isn't ridiculous, I've been thinking this too. Just never thought I should report it.







/end sarcasm.

[destroebl @ Jul 20th 2009 10:21PM]

I'm so glad you put the "/end sarcasm" notation at the bottom, or otherwise I would have thought you were completely serious and made fun of you!!!









what are you looking down here for?

[loocas @ Jul 21st 2009 5:16AM]

Cookies?

[ZZMitch @ Jul 20th 2009 10:06PM]

Eight Months you mean? :p

Who cares about the Mob when there are mistakes in the post!!!

[Parad0x @ Jul 20th 2009 10:08PM]

I have to say I wonder if the other defendants even know they were listed?

[ReaperRob @ Jul 20th 2009 10:09PM]

I just hope this isn't someone just trying to drum up readers for their blog. It's just too ridiculous, even if he may have mental problems.

[AndrewNoNumbers @ Jul 20th 2009 10:12PM]

I'm sure Ars is desperate for readers.