A Canadian man was wrongly imprisoned for over a year due to a mistaken identity stemming from a username referencing The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Brandon Klayme was arrested in 2020 on child pornography charges and subsequently sentenced to 18 months in prison in 2023, but was declared innocent in late July of an unspecified year following an appeal.
The confusion originated when authorities in Wisconsin, in 2020, attempted to locate a suspect with the Kik username "fus__ro_dah." This username, which references the "Unrelenting Force" dragon shout from Bethesda Softworks' fantasy RPG, was associated with allegations of child pornography possession and luring a child. The crucial detail missed by investigators was the presence of two underscores after the "fus" prefix in the suspect's username, as opposed to the single underscore in Klayme's username, "fus_ro_dah."
Authorities utilized a subpoena to obtain IP address information, which ultimately led them to Klayme. Despite the discrepancy in the usernames, Klayme was convicted and sentenced. The case remained unaddressed until 2026, when Klayme's defense attorneys were preparing an appeal and discovered the username difference.
During the appeal process, the victim had provided a description of the perpetrator, but the conviction had heavily relied on Klayme's ownership of the digital account with the similar username. The appeal court ultimately ruled that there was no connection between Klayme and the underage victim, and that he was not responsible for any offending photographs or conversations. Investigators now believe the actual suspect is located in California.
Klayme stated in an affidavit for his appeal that the police findings "contained a subtle mistake that changed the course of my life." In July 2026, a review panel in Nova Scotia concluded that Klayme "should never have been charged, let alone convicted," leading to his acquittal on all charges. Separately, a man from North Carolina reportedly pleaded guilty to similar crimes in late June of the same year.