A senior executive who worked for PlayStation network has been fired by Sony after getting caught up in an amateur pedophilia sting video. George Cacioppo, a senior vice president of engineering for Sony who worked on the PlayStation Store, was filmed by an amateur sting group while he was allegedly trying to arrange a meeting with a person claiming to be a 15-year-old boy.
According to a video posted on December 3 by the YouTube channel People v. Preds, Cacioppo was trying to lure what he thought was a 15-year-old boy into his room to have oral sex. The video went viral and Sony immediately fired Cacioppo the next day.
Caught Red Handed
Cacioppo, 64, was caught in a sting operation while he tried to lure a teen into having sex with him inside his room. He had allegedly sent his explicit photos and his GPS location to a user of the gay hookup app Grindr in October.
People v. Preds claim that they had conversations with Cacioppo — who was using the alias "Jeff"— on dating site Grindr, and after discussions agreed to meet up at "Jeff's" home.
The decoy, actually a member of People v. Preds, claimed to have recently turned 15. Cacioppo didn't realize that he was placing his foot into a trap that would expose him as a pedophile and eventually cost his job.
"Too bad," Cacioppo replied, before asking the fake teen about his sexual experiences and preferences, "You want to suck or get sucked?"
According to People v. Preds Cacioppo also sent a face picture of himself. When the decoy told him he's 14, he appears to ignore the warning. "Photos?" he asked again. "Mmmm very nice," he says after receiving one form the decoy.
Cacioppo then asks the teen about his sexual experiences, including whether he has ever had oral sex, and shares his GPS location: the Carmel Valley residential community in San Diego.
"Love to unzip your pants," he tells the decoy.
This was in October. On Friday his conversation started once again on Friday. Cacioppo during the conversation exchanged and sent a photo of himself. He then asked for more explicit photos and finally set up a time with the decoy thinking him to be actually a 15-year-old boy.
Costing His Job
The video begins with a member of the group approaching a home and greeting a man by the name of "Jeff," who opens the door wearing a PS5 t-shirt, before having the door closed in their faces after revealing the purpose of their filming.
The initial conversation before the filming stars continues via text message, where Cacioppo expresses his desire to engage in, "cuddling, kissing, mutual oral."
"Can you like meet me on the driveway or something," the decoy asks.
"Front door will be open I will walk out," Cacioppo responds.
The sting then presumably picks up with the YouTube video titled '#93 - "GEORGE" 64YO SENIOR VP ENGINEER of PSN INVITED OVER A 15YO BOY AT 430AM.....'
The video was streamed live on YouTube on Friday, according to the website.
Following that Sony fired Cacioppo the next day. The alleged pedophile was a senior vice president of engineering at Sony for eight years and was an integral part of the PlaySatation Network. "We are aware of the situation and the employee in question has been terminated from employment," Sony, which owns PlayStation, told CNET.
While the video on its own shows no crimes being committed, and cannot confirm Cacioppo's identity, People v. Preds besides posting the screenshots of the conversations in October also include an alleged selfie of Cacioppo wearing the same shirt that "Jeff" is wearing in the video.
Cacioppo lives in Carmel Valley, according to the Grindr messages. The San Diego Police Department hasn't responded yet to the incident. It is unclear if he will face any criminal charges.
