Stefan Eriksson

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards.
Please improve this article if you can. (November 2007)

Bo Stefan M. Eriksson (born 14 December 1961) is a Swedish criminal from Uppsala, Sweden, involved in the UK gaming company Gizmondo until it became insolvent in 2005. In 2006 he became known for wrecking an Enzo Ferrari in southern California.

Contents

[edit] Early life

Eriksson became known by the Swedish police as Tjock-Steffe ("Fat Steve") or as The Banker by the local mob in the city of Uppsala, some 60 km north of Stockholm. An auto body shop worker, he started his criminal career with thefts and a three-month prison term in 1981, followed in 1988 by another term of 3½ years for cocaine and arms related convictions.[1]

In the early 90s, Eriksson became the head of a group the Swedish press dubbed Uppsalamaffian (the "Uppsala mafia" or "Uppsala mob"),[2] responsible for some high-profile violent crimes rarely seen in the country. Known as a playboy, he often showed off a 1,200 horse power, 63' Sea Ray offshore race boat, capable of 56 knots. He named it Snövit (Snow White), and absurdly docked it on a small river in downtown Uppsala.[3] He was also seen driving a Mercedes SL with the license plate reading "GEO" (in Swedish pronounced similar to the Cuban slang llello for cocaine, used by Al Pacino in the 1983 movie Scarface.) With a legal front Kanoninkasso ("Cannon debt collection"), the group collected debt using threats and violence. Establishing a reputation, they started to dress in expensive suits and hold "business meetings" in exclusive Stockholm hotels. Attempting to defraud the Swedish Bank Giro Central of 22 million Kronor, Eriksson and Peter Uf, the other future executive of Gizmondo, were found guilty of fraud and counterfeiting. In 1993 and 1994, Eriksson was sentenced to ten years in prison, only to serve half his sentence. Court documents show Eriksson and a partner broke into a man's home, smashed his apartment and punched him repeatedly in the face, that Eriksson held a knife to the man's throat and threatened to cut off his fingers, and finally shoved a gun into the man's mouth.[2] The Swedish police had great difficulties in finding people who dared to testify, and the head witness later survived two bomb attacks.[4]

[edit] Gizmondo

In 2001, Eriksson joined Carl Freer in the UK based company Gizmondo, which intended to rival Nintendo and Sony for the handheld videogames market. Through some innovative financial transactions, Freer had been able to take his British electronics company onto the Nasdaq exchange and raise millions. Eriksson's salary in 2004 was £1.1 million with bonuses amounting to another £145,000, and a car allowance of £5,000 per month.[5]

In an attempt to promote the product, Eriksson competed at the 24 hours of Le Mans. He arrived in a Black Ferrari Enzo and entered the race in the Gizmondo sponsored Ferrari 360 Modena GTC in 2005 but would retire into the morning with mechanical troubles. In October 2005, a Swedish paper revealed irregularities in the business dealings of Gizmondo, and the criminal past of some members of management, including Eriksson.[4] Eriksson, Freer and others resigned, and the company filed for bankruptcy after using up $300M, 90% in its last six months. The company was also involved in various litigation: Swedish Ogilvy Group, MTV, and the Jordan Grand Prix all filed million dollar suits.[6] In August, shortly before his resignation, Gizmondo relocated Eriksson to California for its US launch. Subsequently, questions arose around how the felon Eriksson was able to enter the country. In early 2006, with ideas similar to now defunct Gizmondo's Smart Ads, the virtual mobile operator (MVNO) XeroMobile [1][2] was started through Eriksson's earlier partners.

[edit] Car crash

On February 21, 2006, Eriksson lost control of an Enzo Ferrari sports car, valued at over USD$1,000,000 while allegedly driving at a high speed and intoxicated along Pacific Coast Highway in California. The car careened off an embankment outside Malibu and hit a pole at about 199 mph (320.61 km/h) as recorded on a speedometer by passenger Trevor Karney, videotaped inside the car. The impact of the crash was so violent, it split the car in half.[7] Eriksson and the Irish-born American Karney were found at the site. Eriksson claimed to be a passenger of the Ferrari, and that a man he only knew as "Dietrich" was the driver. Karney claimed to be the passenger of a Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren that was racing the Ferrari. Neither Dietrich nor the Mercedes were to be found, and the police concluded at the time that Eriksson was the driver and Karney the passenger, and that neither "Dietrich" nor the McLaren existed. Furthermore, the extent of Eriksson's injuries amounted to a cut lip, and blood was found on the driver-side airbag.

Investigators confirmed the existence of the videotape of the accident shot from inside the car. The video showed the speedometer giving the 199 mph reading right before it malfunctioned due to the crash. The tape is believed to be with Karney. [8]

Eriksson brandished a business card claiming to be a deputy police commissioner with the San Gabriel Valley Transit Authority (whose founder was later arrested for perjury in connection with the case),[9] and Karney borrowed a phone in a passerby's car where he tucked away a magazine for a Glock pistol.[10] Two men showed up to speak with Eriksson, claiming to be from the Department of Homeland Security.[11]

On March 29, 2006, Nicole Persson, Eriksson's fiance, was pulled over while driving a 2005 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren. She was pulled over because the officer found the car's European license plate suspicious. It was discovered that Persson did not have a valid driver's license. The police found the car to be unregistered, carrying British license plates, and illegally exported from Britain. Further investigation revealed that the crashed red Enzo, a second black Enzo, and two other Mercedes-Benz cars were also unregistered and illegally exported.[12] It was found that all five cars valued at $3.8 million were leased in Britain. Moreover, lease payments for them had ceased; and that after the export, the Mercedes was reported stolen in Britain with insurance pay-out. Footage of Eriksson in his black Ferrari Enzo, shot by the founders of a car enthusiast website, car-parazzi.com, was held as evidence against him by European authorities.

[edit] Police investigation

Police raided Eriksson's Bel-Air home and on April 8, 2006. Eriksson, preparing to leave the US, was arrested on suspicion of embezzlement, grand theft auto, drunken driving, cocaine possession, and weapons charges stemming from a Magnum handgun encountered during the search. He initially faced up to 14 years in prison, which was later reduced in a plea bargain. In May, misdemeanor hit and run and driving without a California license and insurance were added in relation to a Porsche Cayenne allegedly driven by Eriksson rear-ending an SUV near his Bel-Air home on January fourth.[13]

On April 26th, Eriksson's accomplice Carl Freer was arrested on suspicion of impersonating a police officer, perjury, and other unspecified charges stemming from the discovery of 12 rifles and four handguns during searches of his estate and his 100-foot yacht docked at Marina del Rey.[14]

On May 9th, police raided the San Gabriel Valley Transit Authority (a car body shop), arresting its owner and confiscating guns, badges, and a vehicle equipped to be an unmarked police car.[15]

On November 3, 2006, a mistrial was declared, when the jury was deadlocked 10-2 toward convicting Eriksson. The prosecution has indicated their intent to retry the case. [3]

Eriksson accepted a plea bargain for three years in jail and deportation. He pleaded guilty to two counts of embezzlement and one count of illegal gun possession. He avoided an auto theft charge.[16] Eriksson was released from prison on January 21, 2008.[17]

[edit] References

  1. ^ (Swedish) Lasse Wierup. "Tjock-Steffe började som plåtslagare/Fat Steve started out an auto body shop worker", Dagens Nyheter. 
  2. ^ a b Associated Press. "Swedish man's arrest in Ferrari case sounds familiar at home", Mercury News. 
  3. ^ (Swedish) Olle Blomkvist. "Ingrossos länk till Gizmondo-Stefan/Ingrosso's link to Gizmondo-Stefan". 
  4. ^ a b (Swedish) Richard Aschberg and Anders Johansson. "Direktörerna har fått långa fängelsestraff/Directors with long prison terms", Aftonbladet. 
  5. ^ Tiger Telematics Inc. 10K for 2004-12-31.
  6. ^ Ben Laurance. "Crash and burn", Associated Newspapers Ltd. 
  7. ^ Richard Winton and David Pierson. "Ferrari Mystery", LA Times. 
  8. ^ The Plot Thickens in Ferrari Crash
  9. ^ Gary Scott. "Arrest made in Ferrari Probe", Pasadena Star-News. 
  10. ^ James Sterngold. "Fast cars and fast living at heart of Malibu mystery", San Francisco Chronicle. 
  11. ^ Patt Morrison. "Homeland Security and a fast Ferrari", LA Times. 
  12. ^ The Plot Thickens in Ferrari Crash
  13. ^ Richard Winton and David Pierson. "Ferrari Crash Leads to Confiscation of Badges, Guns", Los Angeles Times. 
  14. ^ Tor Thorsen. "Ex-Gizmondo executive's other car seized", Gamespot. 
  15. ^ Richard Winton and David Pierson. "Raids Target Transit Authority", Los Angeles Times. 
  16. ^ Evan Blass. "Eriksson pleads guilty, gets three years and a one-way plane ticket", Engadget. 
  17. ^ Ray Wert. "Save The Enzos: Hide the Enzos? Stefan Eriksson Goes Free", Jalopnik. 

[edit] External links

  • LA Times Life in Fast Lane Long Before Ferrari Crash, Published May 15, 2006
Languages