It sounds like something out of a Mission Impossible movie. In August 2012, a hacking team broke into Microsoft’s employee network to gain data, schematics, instructions, software designs, and source code for the as of yet unreleased Xbox One. The group then used this data to build a counterfeit version of the system that ran pretty much like a normal Xbox One. This counterfeit console changed hands several times before eventually being sold on eBay for over twenty thousand dollars.
The story continues, in September 2013, a few weeks before the Xbox One launch, two individuals actually broke onto Microsoft’s Redmond campus to steal 3 beta versions of the Xbox One. They used employee data to do so, which is now theorized to have come from the original hacking incident.
Overall, the damages caused by this hacking ring amounted to over $100 million dollars.
The hacking ring is currently being charged with the theft of this data, along with other hacks that resulted in the obtaining of data on Modern Warfare 3, Gears of War 3, and more. Two members of the hacking ring, David Pokora of Ontario, Canada and Sanadodeh Nesheiwat of Washington, New Jersey, have plead guilty. Two others, Nathan Leroux of Maryland and Austin Alcaia of Indiana have not plead guilty and are being charged with conspiracy.
For more information, check the original article over at Gamespot , or see the full Federal Indictment here.
Source: Gamespot