"Fixed" FIFA matches for betting — esports player convicted for match-fixing
The court found an esports player guilty who deliberately lost matches in the FIFA football simulator so that members of an organized group could profit from bets on predetermined results. This was reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General.
According to the investigation, the scheme operated from November 2022 to October 2024. The organized group consisted of six people — an organizer, a co-organizer, and four esports players. They agreed on match results and placed bets in both legal and illegal bookmakers, including those registered in Asian countries.
For viewers, the matches appeared as regular esports competitions, but some matches were played according to a pre-agreed scenario. The esports player was supposed to deliberately lose so that other scheme participants could profit from the bets.
The convicted was an active participant in the "ESports Battle Football" tournament. Law enforcement established his involvement in four episodes of match result manipulation — three matches on December 1, 2022, and one match on March 18, 2023.
For the first three fixed matches, the athlete received 5,000 USDT through a crypto exchanger, approximately equal to 5,000 US dollars. After the fourth match, he was additionally paid 3,976 dollars. In total, he received 8,976 US dollars for deliberate losses.
The esports player admitted his guilt and reached a plea agreement with the prosecutor. The court took into account his remorse and cooperation with the investigation.
He was found guilty of unlawful influence on the results of official sports competitions. The court sentenced him to two years of restricted liberty but released him from serving the sentence with a probation period.
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