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Former Gizmondo exec Stefan Eriksson gets 1.5 year sentence, movie might now have ending
Will this be the final chapter in the infamous and incredibly entertaining tale of former Gizmondo head Bo Stefan "Fiery Ferrari Crasher" Eriksson? Doubtful, but with any luck it'll serve as a decent thread to wrap up that optioned movie on his life. An Uppsala, Sweden District Court has sentenced the man to 1.5 years in prison for his most recent round of escapades, which include illegal threats, attempted blackmail, and robbery. Assuming he starts jail fairly soon, mark your calendars and place your bets, we're expecting a whole new slew of comical misdeeds to hit the news feeds by March 2011 -- and no, we still don't think a new Gizmondo will be out by then. [Thanks, piraya]
Ferrari splitting ex-Gizmondo exec Stefan Eriksson's tale optioned for a movie
At last, former Gizmondo head honcho Bo Stefan Eriksson's story is finally going to be told on film -- or rather, the one told in Wired will be. Writer-director Craig Zobel and producer Beau Flynn have optioned the rights to create a movie based on the publication's October 2006 article "Gizmondo's Spectacular Crack-up" by Randall Sullivan, which chronicles the build up to his infamous car crash. Flynn's production company Contrafilm will be backing the project, and should the movie actually make it to theaters and be successful, we suspect there'll be plenty of material for a sequel. [Via Gizmodo] Read - Film optioned Read - Original Wired article
Stefan Eriksson released from jail, awaiting expulsion
Just as expected, the former Gizmondo Europe director is free at last -- well, almost. Barely a year after Stefan Eriksson was sentenced to "three years" in the slammer, he's now been let loose from behind bars and is currently "awaiting expulsion." Purportedly, everything was nearly in place to ship him back to Europe prior to Christmas, but apparently, the Swedish consulate has taken its sweet time in preparing a new passport. What's still unclear, however, is whether the Ferrari Swede will be flown back to Sweden or Germany, but if all goes to plan, we'll be liveblogging the whole ordeal as soon as that news breaks (we jest, we jest).
Gizmondo at CES?
Industry shows are interesting beasts to witness. Frequently, we get clues about the future of gaming simply by looking at who decides to show up. There is one big surprise listing at the 2007 CES. According to the CES website, "It's all fun and games for AMD, Apex Digital, ATI, Dell, Logitech, Nvidia, Alienware, Microsoft, Sony and Gizmondo." This is a fairly odd sentiment given the company is now bankrupt and isn't making games anymore. Maybe the CES doesn't pay much attention to the news (or found it near-impossible to decipher) or Gizmondo pre-paid over a year ago and gets an empty booth. Gizmondo doesn't seem to be dying a graceful death. Stories like the Bo Stefan Eriksson story keep cropping up. Maybe the empty booth at the 2007 CES will be the dénouement of this pathetic riches-to-rags story; or maybe a huge surprise with the return of Gizmondo. [Thanks, Falafelkid]
Justice FTW: Eriksson pleads guilty, gets three years and a one-way plane ticket
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]
Ex-Gizmondo exec trial: day one
Los Angeles Times paints a vivid portrait of a courtroom scene seemingly cast to ease the transition into primetime TV drama.The star of course, Bo Stefan Eriksson, the now infamous ex-Gizmondo exec, is squeezed into a tight blue suit. He's accompanied by Jim Parkman, the Alabama bred defense attorney who muses jurors with a "grand-mammy" saying: "No matter how thin you make a pancake, it still has two sides." Manicured Swedish interpreters relay the message to Eriksson who swivels in his chair, winking back at his wife. Later, the prosecution calls its first witness. A banker with a thick British accent settles into the stand. Pushing his slipping spectacles back up, Mr. Hyett begins to recite the finer points of lease purchase agreements, licensing authorities, and registered introducers. Near the back of the courtroom, a family waiting for their lawyer dozes off.They awake from a stir. The prosecution has just posted an enlarged copy of the Ferrari sales receipt, complete with a striking image of the exotic sports car. Murmurs ensue.See also:Former Gizmondo executive, two others linked to Swedish mafiaFormer Gizmondo exec. involved in Ferrari Enzo crashGizmondo exec's Ferrari, before and afterGizmondo exec's life continues to spiral into infamyEx-Gizmondo exec arrested, faces grand theft charges
Eriksson rejects plea offer, goes on trial for multiple counts of shadiness
Notorious mobster, party animal, exotic automobile enthusiast, and failed gaming executive Bo Stefan Eriksson is finally being exposed to the harsh lights of a Los Angeles courtroom today, after rejecting a plea bargain on Monday due to the fact that "I cannot agree that I stole the car because I didn't." The car that Eriksson was referring to is the famous million dollar Ferrari Enzo that he drunkenly crashed along a stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway earlier this year, which authorities later learned was among several leased vehicles that the former Gizmondo director had exported from Europe and stopped paying for in late 2005. Eriksson also faces a charge of illegal weapons possession, and if convicted on all counts, could spend the next eleven years in prison -- a familiar setting for the thug-turned-businessman. Prosecutors are still hoping that Eriksson's imaginary friend Dietrich will return to the States to testify, but sources close to the matter say that the German playboy has reportedly taken permanent asylum on the island of Atlantis, where he's been managing a unicorn farm co-owned by Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny.
Eriksson was driver in stolen car crash, says detective
Detective Zack Conner testified that ex-Gizmondo exec Bo Stefan Eriksson was indeed the (intoxicated) driver during the now infamous Ferrari crash this past February in Malibu, ruling out claims that "Dietrich" — Eriksson's imaginary friend — was behind the wheel. In addition to the DUI charge, Eriksson has been pegged with embezzlement, grand theft, and possession of a gun by a felon.The gaming industry's bad boy is no stranger to the criminal lifestyle. He served 5 & 1/2 years in Swedish prison for assaults, threats, and extortion.See also: Ex-Gizmondo exec's bail set at $7.5M, considered flight risk Ex-Gizmondo exec arrested, faces grand theft charges Gizmondo exec's life continues to spiral into infamy [Thanks, elvisizer]
