> So then the "ghettos of Santa Clara" where the average home is over $1 million are so > abundant that it's a multi-million dollar industry and the latest consoles can't > detect a copied game? That seems far-fetched. Plenty of video game money in Santa > Clara.
There's been a large influx of PRC nationals into California over the last 10-15 years who have been buying (mostly) property and expensive cars to avoid taxes in the PRC. One of the areas mentioned in the article (Arcadia, a suburb of L.A. 400 miles to the South of Santa Clara) is something of an epicentre for this activity, but it's also happening in the Bay Area, including in and around Santa Clara. My guess is that this is where that money may have been coming from.
It's a bit surreal to drive down a suburban street and see a fairly normal-looking 2000 sq. ft. 3 bed/2 bath home with both a 7-Series BMW and Bentley Continental GT parked in the driveway, but it's not uncommon in those areas. Property listings can easily go over $1 million for houses in those areas due to the demand from PRC buyers looking to convert cash into offshore assets.