Ex-Microsoftie pleads guilty to software theft
WinInfo | at | by Mike
Finally, let's start the weekend off right with a little petty larceny. The ringleader of a group of ex-Microsoft employees who stole almost $2 million worth of software from the company pleaded guilty this week to federal felony charges of conspiracy and money laundering. The 36-year-old man admitted his role in stealing almost 2700 pieces of Microsoft software between April 2001 and November 2002; he made about $2.3 million, apparently by selling the software in darkened Redmond-area parking lots after hours. But this criminal has a few excuses. First, although Microsoft values the wholesale price of the stolen software at $7.1 million, our little felon asserts that the theft actually cost the company less than $15,000. Second, he has agoraphobia (a fear of open places). How that translates into an excuse for theft is hard to imagine, but we're talking about the US legal system. My guess is he'll have his own talk show within 6 months.