back to article Beancounter nicks $5m from bosses, blows $1m on fantasy babe Kate Upton's mobe game

A California chap says he blew $1m in money stolen from his employer on Game of War, a freemium phone game fronted by swimsuit model Kate Upton. Kevin Lee Co, of Rocklin, has pleaded guilty [PDF] to one count each of wire fraud and money laundering, and admitted to stealing roughly $4.8m from his employer through charges to …

  1. Voland's right hand Silver badge

    luxury cars, plastic surgery costs, a golf club membership

    You have to have the right priorities in life: drive fast, look good and be a member of the golfogarchy, the ruling caste in a golfocracy.

    1. knarf

      Wonder if the fast car was a VW Golf

  2. redpawn

    State actors can afford to play

    You can too... if you embezzle or win the lottery.

  3. DrXym

    I wonder how anyone can be that stupid

    Gambling stolen money is bad enough, but stealing just to play a crappy mobile "game"?

    1. Adam 1

      Re: I wonder how anyone can be that stupid

      As opposed to pokies?

      1. Michael Thibault
        Pint

        Re: I wonder how anyone can be that stupid

        >As opposed to pokies?

        My lexicon has just experienced a little turgidification.

    2. FuzzyWuzzys
      Facepalm

      Re: I wonder how anyone can be that stupid

      A $1m. Let's put that again....ONE MILLION DOLLARS, on a f**king mobile game! Surely something must have flagged up as funny when some player has bought every upgrade they need?

      What I'm concerned about is that the company that runs this shitty game doesn't have something in place to catch poor sods who are obviously addicted to the game and spending astronomic amounts of money on it.

      1. Triggerfish

        Re: I wonder how anyone can be that stupid

        There's more than a few stories about how this game and others grabs money.

        http://www.cracked.com/personal-experiences-1762-5-reasons-i-lost-249000-iphone-game.html

        Them not having something in to stop people spending suprises me not at all, addiction is basically their business model.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: the company that runs this shitty game doesn't have something in place

        Why should they??

        When was the last time you were shopping on Amazon and it threw you a popup

        "Hey guy, do you really need that?? Why not save that money??"

      3. TheVogon

        Re: I wonder how anyone can be that stupid

        "What I'm concerned about is that the company that runs this shitty game doesn't have something in place to catch poor sods who are obviously addicted to the game and spending astronomic amounts of money on it."

        Of course they will have something in place. Such addicted users will immediately flagged for priority invites to other similar games....

  4. This post has been deleted by its author

  5. TAJW

    Can't be deported

    He is now a felon, and under Obama's rules all he has to do is go to a sanctuary city, he's safe!

    Then he can go back to his criminal activities with impunity.

    1. Pascal Monett Silver badge

      Sanctuary was in Logan's Run.

      You'll find that in the Sci-Fi aisle of your local movie store (maybe).

      Meanwhile, IRL, he's been arrested, so he ain't goin' anywhere on his own anymore.

    2. Triggerfish

      Re: Can't be deported

      Didn't sanctuary cities in the US, start in the 1980s?

  6. goldcd

    I call bullshit.

    You're *really* trying to tell me that one person dropped a million dollars on "in-game-diamonds" (or whatever it uses).

    really?

    REALLY?

    1. Sureo

      Re: I call bullshit.

      "Really?" The world looks different when you're pissing away other people's money.

  7. JustNiz

    I'm just amazed that there's a game out there where you even theoretically could blow as much as $1m on in-game purchases.

    1. JetSetJim
      Pirate

      Re: In game purchases...

      I'm starting to think that maybe I should write one and hope someone with the right bank balance turns up!

    2. Aitor 1

      Steam

      Head out for steam and got to the brave new world of DLCs, where a train simulator can cost more than an actual train... well, not THAT much but Train Simulator runs for about 4000$

      1. Francis Boyle Silver badge

        You can buy a train for $4000?

        I wouldn't trust a car that cost that little.

        In any case how is this different from the glory days of MS Flight Simulator? I'm pretty sure there was a lot more than $4000 worth of add ons for that.

  8. mics39
    Facepalm

    What a loser

    'Co also used the funds to pay for ... season tickets for the San Francisco 49ers football and Sacramento Kings basketball teams.'

    Talk about throwing away money.

    I'd have splashed that million directly on Kate and enjoyed intimate 10 minutes with her.

    1. Youngone Silver badge

      Re: What a loser

      Absolutely he's a total loser:

      Kings are useless

      49ers are worse

      Game of War looks like it's the worst of the lot (I've never played it because I like proper games)

      To cap it off, he stole from his employer to pay for all that tat. It's almost like he's never heard of prison.

      Moron.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: What a loser

        Agreed! And that game looks like total crap. While it is quite nice to see Kate prancing about shaking her two money-makers, there's no way the game would come close to that level of fun, or have her appear anywhere in it. When a game maker throws out that much money on a NPC for their commercials, and that doesn't appear in the game, that's a sign the game is overhyped and not going to be at all fun.

        There are so many shit freemium games out there, but some gems too. I've switched off of Android for the most part, but many of the same games are there and in iOS. My current favs at the mo are: Mucho Taco, Neko Atsume, and Futurama: Game of Drones. Don't be fooled by big titties, you guys! Those cost actual money, sort of pay to play. :)

        Mucho Taco is more fun when you use a fast, clean stylus for the swiping and such. I'm at 90T+ tacos made. Si, Mucho Taco is bueno!

    2. pop_corn

      Re: What a loser

      Agreed, he should have just approached her agent and bought some private "consultation" dinners with her.

    3. AndrewDu

      Re: What a loser

      "season tickets for the San Francisco 49ers football and Sacramento Kings"

      What a waster.

      Now, if he'd bought season tickets for the Sharks or the Kings, one could possibly sympathise...

    4. Pascal Monett Silver badge
      Trollface

      Re: "I'd have splashed that million directly on Kate and enjoyed intimate 10 minutes with her."

      I do hope you could last more than 10 minutes.

      1. 's water music
        Paris Hilton

        Re: "I'd have splashed that million directly on Kate and enjoyed intimate 10 minutes with her."

        I do hope you could last more than 10 minutes.

        For sure, provided you include time to remove trousers first and for an apology and wash-up afterwards.

        Icon: whoops, try again tomorrow -->

        1. mics39
          Unhappy

          Re: "I'd have splashed that million directly on Kate and enjoyed intimate 10 minutes with her."

          Surely she's well equipped with in-session purchases.

          Just like those not very free games that basically require further add-ons.

  9. JLV
    Coat

    not entirely accurate

    Worse, much worse.

    Dimwit wastes a cool $1million playing a game fronted by Mariah Carey.

    http://venturebeat.com/2015/09/14/mariah-carey-commercial-debuts-for-game-of-war-fire-age/

  10. Neil Barnes Silver badge

    The rest...

    he just frittered away.

    1. Michael Thibault
      IT Angle

      Re: The rest...

      >,,, just frittered away

      Knickknacks and baubles in dribs and drabs, no doubt. He must have been busy with all the shopping, though. Time not well-spent. The future will be, on the other hand.

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    $1 million on mobile game...

    That's got to be some kind of money laundering scheme... right?

  12. Anonymous South African Coward Bronze badge

    Come play my Lord, the ladies are waiting...

  13. Version 1.0 Silver badge

    So?

    This is only a story because the accountant sole the money - had the business owners stole the money and spent it in the same way it would be quickly buried...

    "Assign that $1m as therapy so that we can claim it as a medical deduction along with the plastic surgery costs. The golf club membership, and season tickets are legitimate business expenses, and the car's an expense too - looks like we can deduct everything."

    1. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge
      Paris Hilton

      Re: So?

      > had the business owners stole the money

      What?

      They would be the business owners. Unless it's money from people who expect appropriate ROI, it would be their money. Nobody would (nor should) care.

      1. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

        Re: So?

        "Nobody would (nor should) care."

        The IRS would.

  14. Tony S

    A while ago, I was working at a place where we were convinced that the head beancounter was funnelling money out of the business. Unfortunately, there were internal political issues that prevented the necessary investigations.

    A colleague and I had managed to uncover certain indiscretions; my services were no longer needed after that, and my former colleague is concerned that he will be out after Christmas.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      You may want to tip off the creditors...

    2. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

      "A colleague and I had managed to uncover certain indiscretions; my services were no longer needed after that, and my former colleague is concerned that he will be out after Christmas."

      I'd have thought you'd have been offered promotions.

    3. Alan Brown Silver badge

      "A colleague and I had managed to uncover certain indiscretions"

      At that point you document everything and hand it to "the authorities".

      Whistleblower protection laws apply from that point.

      On the other hand if you don't notify "the authorities", then you're potentially an accessory once someone else discovers them.

  15. AndrewDu

    " as a foreign national, will "almost certainly" be deported"

    What a good idea. Remind me again why we can't do that?

    1. Prst. V.Jeltz Silver badge

      so if i go to usa and steal $4m , theyll just send me home?

    2. AndyS

      > What a good idea. Remind me again why we can't do that?

      What can't you do? Deport foreign nationals convicted of certain crimes? Deny entry to foreign nationals who have previously been convicted of certain crimes? Maintain a list of foreign nationals who aren't welcome in your country?

      Must suck living wherever you do. Here in the UK we can do all those things, of course, as any decent country can.

      1. Prst. V.Jeltz Silver badge

        " Here in the UK we can do all those things"

        we just dont

  16. Chozo

    I wonder

    Is the games company involved with ZZZ Accounting by any chance?

  17. adam payne

    One million dollars on a mobile game..... just wow.

    How can you spend that kind of money on a mobile game?

    He spends one million dollars of stolen money on a mobile game and the games company directors get bonuses that they use to buy fast cars, holidays etc etc.

  18. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    he spent a million on the game when he could have purchased her for a million.

    its true.

  19. Rich 30

    $1m?

    I wonder how much people spend on these games?

    I wonder how much the average user spends (only counter users who do spend)?

    I wonder what the top 10 spenders are?

  20. ecofeco Silver badge

    No way

    It has to be some kind deeper laundering scheme.

    Can you even spend that kind of money on a game?!

    1. Anonymous South African Coward Bronze badge

      Re: No way

      Carrot and stick.

POST COMMENT House rules

Not a member of The Register? Create a new account here.

  • Enter your comment

  • Add an icon

Anonymous cowards cannot choose their icon

Other stories you might like