Woman Sent to Jail for Hacking Maple Story Account

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27337812/?GT1=43001

TOKYO - A 43-year-old Japanese piano teacher's sudden divorce from her online husband in a virtual game world made her so angry that she logged on and killed his digital persona, police said Thursday.

She used his identification and password to log onto popular interactive game "Maple Story" to carry out the virtual murder in mid-May, a police official in northern Sapporo City said on condition of anonymity, citing department policy.

"I was suddenly divorced, without a word of warning. That made me so angry," the official quoted her as telling investigators and admitting the allegations.
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The woman had not plotted any revenge in the real world, the official said.

She was charged with illegal access onto a computer and manipulating electronic data, police said. If convicted, she could face a prison term of up to five years or a fine up to $5,000.

As in "Second Life" in the U.S., players in "Maple Story" raise and manipulate digital images called "avatars" that represent themselves, while engaging in relationships, social activities and fighting against monsters and other obstacles.

The woman used login information she got from the 33-year-old office worker when their characters were happily married, and killed the character. The man complained to police when he discovered that his beloved online avatar was dead.

The woman was arrested Wednesday and was taken across the country, traveling 620 miles from her home in southern Miyazaki to be detained in Sappporo, where the man lives, the official said.

The police official said he did not know if she was married in the real world.

In recent years, virtual lives have had consequences in the real world. In August, a woman was charged in Delaware with plotting the real-life abduction of a boyfriend she met through "Second Life."

dont you think thats a bit harsh lol

 

Pathetic...

 

Lmao... That's quite harsh, all over a game =|

 

Dude seriously it's just a fake thing, not real.

 

lol,
I agree.

 

ive been hearing more and more about cases like this where something happens in a online game and gets taken to court. i think its rubbish.

 

Thats pretty crazy, you have to remember its just a game. You get 92573967349275287 chances in a game, you get 1 in life.

 

wow thats horrible dude..
I cant believe such harsh punishment
for such a gay game.

 

It is insane what extent some people will go to protect their "Virtual persona".

 

And you people on Sythe don't think you can get in trouble for real life cash fraud for RuneScape =P

 

Uhm.... she killed the virtual character, which will respawn anyway, amirite?
The boys who theatend a kid for RS items, I can understand they got arrested, but killing a virtual character, damn!

 

That's ridiculous. People take games way too seriousely. -glances at the runescape section-

 

She got too caught up in the game and she let things get out of control.

I bet she would take all that back if she could. Poor woman.

 

U think?

Some people have a VERY short fuse...sometimes they dont even have a fuse :nuts:

 

hahahahah
loser.

 

thats just sad. and funny too but mostly sad and pathetic.
and over such a shit gay game which sucks donkey balls.

 

Maple-Story is bad anyway. but i think they went a bit overboard. like REALLY.

 

Japanese piano teachers have lot of free time , so they are very bored and they are hacking maple-store accs and playing that stupid game xD

 

Rofl.... Im Telling U China Is Like The Smartest Country Ever...... Like Hacking Soccer Moms Rofl.

 

If he had to pay for membership or something like that then yeah maybe he should be compensated.

I don't think the chick should get a massive fine and a jail term, its just a game.