Finnish Counter-Strike 2 professional Aleksi “Aleksib” Virolainen is going through a attainable four-month suspended jail sentence over alleged “aggravated tax fraud” after failing to declare revenue from in-game sticker gross sales.
In Counter-Strike 2, gamers should purchase digital stickers and place them on their weapons. They’re an in-game merchandise that may be purchased on the Steam Market, the CS2 Retailer, or in capsules, in addition to by way of third-party web sites.
It’s not unusual for skilled groups to get a reduce of the cash earned from sticker gross sales and different in-game purchases once they compete at main tournaments — and it’s this income that prosecutors say Virolainen failed to incorporate on his tax kinds.
On Friday, October 16, an indictment was learn aloud on the Japanese Uusimaa District Courtroom that accused the professional participant of failing to declare €53,000 in revenue (about $59,553.18 USD) from Valve in 2020, the developer of Counter-Strike 2. Prosecutors claimed that he was in a position to keep away from paying an estimated €28,000 ($31,441 USD) in taxes consequently — however he stated he wasn’t conscious that this revenue wanted to be declared.
Whereas Virolainen admitted that he did not declare these earnings, he stated that he was simply 22 years previous on the time with no actual understanding of how the tax system labored. The Protection maintained that he was beneath the impression that his taxes had been absolutely dealt with, since taxes had already been taken out of his common revenue, and that he didn’t search any monetary acquire from failing to report them.
As reported by Finnish information outlet Iltalehti, the alleged offense befell between Might 19, 2020 and September 22, 2020 in Vantaa, Finland. A subpoena said that the participant didn’t return a pre-filled tax return type for the 2019 12 months and didn’t report any lacking revenue from Valve.
Prosecutors are demanding that he serve a four-month suspended jail sentence for the alleged offense. Viorlainen has not been formally convicted of the supposed crime, and a district court docket is about to difficulty a ruling on the case at a later date.
A tweet containing footage of the professional participant arriving at court docket went viral throughout the CS2 group, displaying him sitting down within the courtroom as cameras flashed within the background. Virolainen reportedly pleaded not responsible to the costs.
The now-29-year-old Aleksib remains to be an lively participant, at the moment representing Natus Vincere. As identified by Dexerto, he competed at two Majors with ENCE throughout the time of the supposed tax fraud, together with his most notable end taking place on the IEM Katowice 2019 Main, the place his crew reached the Grand Finals.
Aleksib going through a possible 4 month suspended jail sentence was not on my bingo card 😭
“He pleaded not responsible in court docket. He stated the sum was associated to cash earned from Counter-Strike digital stickers.” https://t.co/psz60COGNz
— titan.holo (@TitanHoloCS) October 18, 2026
Aleksib has not supplied a public assertion on the matter on the time of writing.
Picture Credit: Instagram – aleksivirolainen
Virginia (she/her) is IGN’s Information Editor. With ten years of expertise reporting on video games and leisure, she’s received a storied background within the combating recreation group, influencer information, and viral on-line developments. Discover her on Twitter at @TheeMissGlaze.