"Videogame Addiction" Blamed in University Embezzlement

Andy Chalk

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Nov 12, 2002
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"Videogame Addiction" Blamed in University Embezzlement


A former student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison [http://www.wisc.edu/] says an addiction to videogames drove him to embezzle over $12,000 from his fraternity.

Jose R. Tavarez, the former treasurer of the Delta Theta Sigma [http://www.deltathetasigma.com/] fraternity, used a frat debit card to ring up roughly $12,280 in about 70 purchases from "game-oriented businesses" along with numerous others from online dealers selling computer equipment. He blamed the spree on his videogame addiction, telling police he used the fraternity money because his bank account is linked to his parents' and he didn't want them knowing that he was spending money on games.

Tavarez has been charged with one count of theft in a business setting and four counts of modifying computer data, not only to cover the theft but also to avoid having to pay rent to the fraternity.

The whole case is mystifying but here's the question I'm hung up on: What did this guy really buy? If Tavarez is so desperate to play videogames and he's smart enough to be the treasurer of a university fraternity, then wouldn't he be smart enough to figure out how to pirate games on P2P sites? You can't torrent a console I suppose, but how much hardware does one guy need? A Wii [http://www.playstation.com] will run you maybe $1000; say another two grand for a killer PC. What else is there? I hope we find out exactly what it was Tavarez so desperately needed so we can see just how much his "videogame addiction" had to do with it.

Source: GamePolitics [http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/local/449244]


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uppitycracker

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Oct 9, 2008
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lol you can't torrent a console itself, but get it modded and you sure as hell can download pretty much every game for the 360, and i'm sure the ps3 isn't much different.

this is a pretty sad thing, i'm so damn tired of hearing about video game addiction. give me a break people. i'm not trying to undermine the possibility of someone getting so wrapped up in games it destroys their life, but the video games aren't the issue here, it's just the outlet for an already messed up mindset. and in a case like this, really? so was him manipulating the system so he didn't have to pay rent tied into this addiction as well? people really need to start owning up to their shit, and stop going for the flavor of the week excuse.
 

LeonLethality

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Mar 10, 2009
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Great one person blames it making all gamers look bad its one thing when somebody blames another persons addiction for what they did but when someone uses it as a excuse it makes it look like video games really ARE at fault, but i can imagine 12000 spent on only gaming merchandise...
 

Onyx Oblivion

Borderlands Addict. Again.
Sep 9, 2008
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I'm addicted to games, but I hold up banks. Those police aren't going to catch me. Embezzling is less dangerous, though.

This guy likely was addicted to drugs. Drugs are bad. They make you do things that you don't want to do.
 

Doc Theta Sigma

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Jan 5, 2009
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... That frat name is dangerously close to my username. I feel violated. But anyway, I'm addicted to gaming but I don't go embezzling places. I just send e-mails pretending to be Nigerian royalty. Still $12,000 in 70 purchases is almost impressive.
 

scotth266

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Jan 10, 2009
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Onyx Oblivion said:
This guy likely was addicted to drugs. Drugs are bad. They make you do things that you don't want to do.
Hey, why did you post six times? And why is your text rainbow colored?

Oh crap.

But to be serious: this is SILLY. Silly little man, blaming felonies on videogames...
 

Tiamat666

Level 80 Legendary Postlord
Dec 4, 2007
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Maybe he spent all that money on 36 simultaneous WoW accounts... like that other guy with a game addiction problem.
 

Abedeus

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Sep 14, 2008
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Wait, $2000 for a good PC? I think for a PC from the outer space - I can get a good PC for $500... Hell, I would upgrade mine to kickass if I had found a wallet with $500 laying on the ground.
 

sheic99

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The_root_of_all_evil said:
Oh noes. I have an addiction to games that makes me punch people who blame things on their game addicition.
At least he didn't kill anybody.
 

syndicated44

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Apr 25, 2009
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ShadowKirby said:
What a shame. $12,280 that could have went for booze.
He just embezzeled the money to "protect" his friends from drinking to much! And they said I couldnt be a lawyer.
 

fix-the-spade

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The_root_of_all_evil said:
Oh noes. I have an addiction to games that makes me punch people who blame things on their game addicition.
Then (purely out of interest) how many times have you broken your own nose?
 

Giovanto

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Jun 3, 2008
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Hello. I have an addiction to video games. I was so addicted that I wanted to take it out of the game and experience it for real. So after playing Thief 3, I decided to stick a dagger in someone's back then take their stuff. I then went to a fence, sold it, and bought more games.

Its not my fault! I was just so addicted...I had to do it! Its the video games' fault! BLAME THE GAME!

[/sarcasm]

He's just trying to get out of trouble, no judge is going to buy that story, puuuurre bullshit.
 

Cpt_Oblivious

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Jan 7, 2009
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The_root_of_all_evil said:
Oh noes. I have an addiction to games that makes me punch people who blame things on their game addicition.
I think we all have that sort of addiction.
 

Limos

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Jun 15, 2008
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A quick google search finds a modded PS3 for $750, a modded Xbox 360 for $400, and a modded Wii for $600. So throw in a nother $2,000 for a really great PC and a CD burner. That's $3,750 dollars, and you will be able to play every game for every system. I mean even if he gets a modded PSP (maybe $200) and a DS that can use flashcarts (lets add another $200) that would only bring him up to $4,150 dollars.

So what the hell else is there left to buy that got him up to that much money??