For the second time in history, a Ukrainian court has handed down a verdict for match-fixing in esports. What punishment did the esportsman receive?
The court has handed down the second conviction in Ukraine regarding match-fixing in esports.
The court has handed down the second conviction in Ukraine regarding match-fixing in esports.
According to the press service of the Cyber Police, the cyber sportsman received two years of restricted liberty for intentionally losing official matches in the interests of an organized group that earned money from bookmaker bets for a reward.
The organized group operated from fall 2022 to fall 2024, and its members manipulated the results of official esports competitions to obtain illegal profits from betting.
The police established that it consisted of an organizer, a co-organizer, and four e-sports players.
«They organized fixed matches for the „ESports Battle Football“ tournament and placed bets on predetermined outcomes in both legal and illegal bookmakers,» the Cyber Police said.
The cybersportsman in question intentionally lost official matches in the FIFA football simulator, by prior arrangement.
«To the spectators, the fights looked like ordinary sports competitions, but their outcome was predetermined,» law enforcement officials state.
For fulfilling the agreements after the first three matches, the e-sportsman received 5,000 USDT via a crypto exchange, which is approximately equivalent to $5,000. «After another contractual match, he was transferred $3,976. In total, he received almost $9,000 for intentional defeats,» the press release states.
During the trial, the defendant pleaded guilty and entered into a plea agreement. After being sentenced to two years of restricted liberty, he was released from serving his sentence with probation.
At the same time, the investigation into other members of the organized group is ongoing.
As dev.ua reported, the Cyber Police referred to court the cases of businessmen who entered data on fake HIV-infected people into the information system. This allowed them to be removed from military service and travel abroad.
Esports in Ukraine is watched mainly by young people under 34 years old — study
Esports in Ukraine is watched mainly by young people under 34 years old — study
Ukrainian esports player s1mple disqualified for playing on a team with Russians
Ukrainian esports player s1mple disqualified for playing on a team with Russians
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