French gamer sentenced for hostage hoax at Montreal Ubisoft office
Posted July 5, 2023 10:12 am.
The 22-year-old French gamer whose fake hostage threat led to the evacuation of Montreal’s Ubisoft office three years ago has been sentenced to three years in prison.
Yanni Ouahioune, who went by the gamer handle Y4nnOXX, was tried by the judicial court of Paris this week, according to Agence France-Presse.
His trial involved three separate cases, including the one in Montreal, between 2020 and 2022.
In the verdict, the court decreed Ouahioune would need to “compensate the victims,” as well as undergo training and self-help work.
On Nov. 13, 2020, a call was made to Montreal police about a possible hostage situation at the headquarters of video game company Ubisoft.
Police officers on the scene at Montreal’s Ubisoft offices in what turned out to be a hoax hostage situation on Nov. 13, 2020. (CityNews)
It led to an afternoon of chaos for some, as tactical squad officers and armoured vehicles surrounded the building as it was being evacuated, with ambulances at the ready.
In the end, it turned out to be a hoax – a form of elaborate “swatting” often perpetrated by online gamers.
MORE ON UBISOFT HOSTAGE HOAX:
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The court heard Ouahioune was frustrated about being banned multiple times from the Ubisoft-made game Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege, which led to the hoax hostage call.
Ouahioune was also sentenced for charges related to incidents in Paris, including one on a government office.
Police officers on the scene at Montreal’s Ubisoft offices in what turned out to be a hoax hostage situation on Nov. 13, 2020. (CityNews)
