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First Piggybacking Charge Laid in Michigan
A Michigan man has become the first person in his state to be charged with the theft of Wi-Fi networks, a practice commonly known as “piggybacking”. Each day, Sam Peterson would park his car outside a local café in order to take advantage of the store’s Wi-Fi network coverage. Peterson’s daily routine drew the attention of the local police chief, who after conducting some legal research, determined Peterson’s action to be a felony under the state law.
The Michigan law governing fraudulent access to computers, computers systems, and computer networks was revised in 2000 to include Wi-Fi networks; “piggybacking” is now a felony punishable by five years in prison and a $10,000.00 fine.
However, as Peterson has no prior record, he was sentenced to pay a nominal fine of $400.00 and to perform community service.
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