The FBI applied for a search warrant requesting that Sony provide PS4 data on a suspect involved in a cocaine distribution ring, it has emerged. The warrant was issued in October, with the FBI asking for specifics in regards to the user’s online behavior, including the games he played and his progress in them.
Court documents obtained by Vice’s Motherboard revealed that the FBI had been keeping tabs suspect Curtis Alexander via PSN. Using the online handle ‘Speedola20,’ Alexander reportedly contacted an FBI informant stating that he was charging $34,000 for a kilogram of cocaine. The informant said that Alexander had contacted them while playing an online multiplayer game.
ALSO: Sony confirms it isn’t working on Vita 2 or a new handheld
“Investigators believe that ALEXANDER likely believes that audio communication during the course of his participation in an online game is secure,” the court documents read. |As such, ALEXANDER likely believes that he can use audio communication during game play on the PlayStation to arrange the details of a drug transaction.”
The FBI requested the following information from Sony in the warrant (via Polygon):
“The information that is automatically collected by Sony includes […] Networked connected software data, such as application utilization, game play, game or system video and audio, progress, utilization, performance, peripheral and device use, services requested an used, or content downloaded and viewed.”
Alexander reportedly went on to sell a $4,400 bag of white powder to the informant, with the FBI monitoring the transaction. Alexander also told the informant that they would continue their conversation while playing the unnamed game later that evening.
