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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteOn October 2, 2020, the U.S. Department of Justice said it had charged Max Louarn, Yuanning Chen and Gary Bowser in a federal indictment alleging that they led Team Xecuter, a group that developed and sold devices designed to bypass console protections and run unauthorized copies of video games. DOJ said Louarn and Bowser had been arrested abroad in September 2020; Chen was charged but was not reported as arrested in that announcement.
What the 2020 indictment alleged
The indictment described Team Xecuter as an international enterprise that allegedly created, marketed and distributed circumvention devices for the Nintendo Switch and other game consoles. Prosecutors said the products enabled users to play pirated games by defeating technical protections built into the systems.
The DOJ’s October 2020 announcement listed the group’s alleged product lines as Gateway 3DS, Stargate, TrueBlue Mini, Classic2Magic and the SX range, including SX OS, SX Pro, SX Lite and SX Core. The release described a broader operation involving developers, website operators, suppliers and resellers.
Those statements described charges, not findings of guilt. The DOJ release emphasized that an indictment is an allegation and that defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Who was arrested and when
| Person | What DOJ reported in October 2020 | Later status reported by DOJ |
|---|---|---|
| Max Louarn | Charged; DOJ said he had been arrested abroad in September 2020. | DOJ reported in February 2022 that he remained charged and was not in U.S. federal custody. |
| Yuanning Chen | Charged in the indictment; the October release did not report an arrest. | DOJ reported in February 2022 that he remained charged and was not in U.S. federal custody. |
| Gary Bowser | Charged; DOJ said he had been arrested abroad in September 2020. He was deported from the Dominican Republic and appeared in federal court in New Jersey. | He later pleaded guilty and was sentenced in 2022. |
What happened to Gary Bowser
Bowser’s case ultimately produced a separate, adjudicated result. In October 2021 he pleaded guilty to two federal felonies. On February 10, 2022, a federal judge sentenced him to 40 months in prison. The DOJ said his plea agreement included $4.5 million in restitution to Nintendo of America.
At sentencing, U.S. District Judge Robert S. Lasnik said: “These are serious criminal offenses with real victims and harm to the community.”
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U.S. Attorney Nick Brown said prosecutors estimated that the alleged operation caused more than $65 million in losses to video-game companies. That figure was presented as a prosecution estimate, not as an independently audited total.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why the case mattered to prosecutors
The DOJ framed the case as an intellectual-property and piracy prosecution rather than a routine hardware dispute. Brian C. Rabbitt, then acting assistant attorney general of the DOJ Criminal Division, said: “These arrests show that the department will hold accountable hackers who seek to commandeer and exploit the intellectual property of American companies for financial gain, no matter where they may be located.”
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Brian Moran, the U.S. attorney, said: “This conduct doesn’t just harm billion-dollar companies, it hijacks the hard work of individuals working to advance in the video-game industry.” FBI Special Agent in Charge Raymond Duda called it an example of the bureau’s priority of preventing intellectual-property theft.
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What the arrest announcement does—and does not—establish
- The October 2020 announcement established that three men had been federally charged and that DOJ reported arrests of Louarn and Bowser abroad.
- It identified the SX devices and other product lines as items prosecutors said were connected to the alleged enterprise.
- It did not establish that all three defendants were convicted.
- Bowser’s guilty plea and 40-month sentence were later established outcomes for Bowser alone.
- The February 2022 DOJ status report does not verify Louarn’s or Chen’s legal status after that date.
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