Grand Theft Auto Online Cheater Has to Pay $150,000 in Copyright Damages

Rockstar Games

Florida-based man Jhonny Perez, creator of the Grand Theft Auto V Online cheat program Elusive, has been ordered to pay Rockstar Games' parent company Take-Two $150,000, the maximum amount of copyright infringement damages. Perez has also been penalized with a fine and legal costs, Torrent Freak reports.

"Take-Two has been irreparably harmed by Mr. Perez's infringing conduct and will continue to be harmed unless enjoined," US District Court Judge Kevin Castel explained in his order.

Perez's cheat program allowed Grand Theft Auto V players to break the game's rules and economy, even letting them make unlimited currency. Elusive was sold at prices between $10 to $30, depending on the package.

Last August, Take-Two contacted Perez and ordered him to cease the sale and distribution of Elusive but further efforts to contact him were met with silence, so the publisher filed a lawsuit against Perez, and when Perez didn't appear to defend himself, the court decided that Take-Two won by default, explaining that "Take-Two has been irreparably harmed by Mr. Perez's infringing conduct," and that "the Infringing Program harms Take-Two's reputation for maintaining its gaming environment, discouraging users from future purchases and gameplay."

Perez has been ordered to pay $150,000 in damages, and $70,000 in legal fees.

You can see the copy of the court's finding at Torrent Freak.

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He complied with this request, but further moves to contact him were met with silence, including an initial attempt at discovering how much money Perez had made selling the cheats, and whether an out of court settlement could be reached.

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