The sentencing of former Jagex developer Andrew Lakeman, known as Mod Jed, closed an eight-year investigation into the theft of hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of Old School RuneScape gold and items from player accounts.

Lakeman, hired in 2015 as a content developer, exploited his position to manipulate account recoveries and drain valuable inventories, later converting the proceeds through cryptocurrency dealers and secondary markets. Cambridgeshire Police records show he banked more than £364,829 from these transactions, with court documents citing approximately 705 billion gold pieces taken from 68 accounts; he pleaded guilty to charges including theft by employee and unauthorized computer access.

Cambridge Crown Court on September 3, 2026, handed down a three-year prison term suspended for two years, plus 150 hours of unpaid work and a 25-day rehabilitation requirement, with proceeds-of-crime proceedings ongoing through February 2027. Detective Constable Andrew McKeane noted that the virtual nature of the assets did not diminish the offense.

The case underscores ongoing industry questions around the legal status of in-game economies and secondary-market trading, as developers and platforms continue to navigate the blurred line between digital goods and real-world value.