Gizmondo head released from jail

Author: Joe Martin
Published: 24th January 2008

The Gizmondo - face it, it was never going to take off, was it?

The Gizmondo - now there was a device always destined to fail, alongside countless other Nintendo DS rivals like the Tapwave Zodiac. Interestingly though, the Gizmondo wasn't just interesting because of how it flopped on the market, it was also because of the men behind the magic - especially the convicted Stefan Erikson, or 'Fat Steve' as he's apparently known to the Swedish mob.

Stefan, who was convicted for embezzlement, was quite a character. Not only did he crash an extremely expensive Enzo Ferrari while apparently street racing in California, he was also wrapped up in all sorts of unlawful activity. Police found a handgun magazine near the crash site and it was revealed that Eriksson's friends and fiance were involved with stolen cars and perjury.

It all came to a head when Stefan went to prison in November 2006 after pleading no contest to charges of embezzlement, with a sentence of three years.

But now he's out!

Stefan was apparently moved to a detention centre outside LA in early December last year and has now been removed from the US completely.

"Everything was ready before Christmas. It took a while for the Swedish consulate to prepare a new passport. But he's expected to be on his way very soon," Mrs Eriksson, who lives in Germany, told a Swedish newspaper.

Did you ever buy a Gizmondo or any other equally ill-fated gaming device or have you stayed with brands you trust? Let us know in the forums.