Sony to subpoena GeoHot's PayPal account
Jailbreak lawsuit continues as Sony edges closer towards Californian trial
Sony has been given permission to subpoena the PayPal account of hacker George 'GeoHot' Hotz, following his public release of jailbreak software for the PlayStation 3.
Magistrates have already given Sony the go ahead to acquire the internet IP addresses of visitors to Hotz's website, as well as data from YouTube, Twitter, and Google.
Hotz is primarily accused of breaking the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, after he released software and information allowing other users to hack the PlayStation 3 and allow it to run unauthorised software (a process known as jailbreaking).
According to Wired, Sony is able to seize any documents "sufficient to identify the source of funds" that were sent to Hotz's PayPal account. The funds must pertain specifically to California though, if Sony is to continue to fight its lawsuit in San Francisco rather than Hotz's home state of New Jersey.
By law Sony does not need to prove that Hotz received any payments for his jailbreak software, although Hotz has denied he received donations.