Modder pleads guilty to piracy charges, will pay Nintendo $4.5 million

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  A prototype SX Core device soldered to a Nintendo Switch motherboard. [credit: Team Xeceuter ]

Gary Bowser will plead guilty to two federal felony charges related to his work with Team Xecuter, the maker of the "SX" line of Switch modding devices and other tools Bowser now admits were "predominant[ly] and primar[ily] design[ed]... to allow purchasers to play pirated ROMs."

Bowser, a 51-year-old Canadian national who went by the handle GaryOPA online, was arrested last year in the Dominican Republic before being extradited to the United States. The government is still seeking the extradition of French national Max Louarn, who was arrested in Tanzania at the same time as Bowser.

Bowser pleaded guilty to two of the 11 felony counts against him relating to trafficking in circumvention devices and conspiracy to do the same. Combined, the two charges come with a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. In exchange, prosecutors have agreed to drop the other nine charges.

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