CS2 Pro Aleksib Faces Suspended Sentence Over Tax Fraud

What would you do if you found out your favorite CS2 pro was facing jail time over sticker money? That's the reality for Aleksib fans right now. Aleksi "Aleksib" Virolainen, the Finnish star who now plays for Natus Vincere, is looking at a possible four-month suspended prison sentence. The charge? Aggravated tax fraud. And it all comes down to income from in-game stickers.

Here's the deal: in CS2, players can buy virtual stickers and slap them on their weapons. These stickers are sold on the Steam Marketplace, in the CS2 Store, through capsules, and even on third-party sites. When pro teams compete at Majors, they often get a cut of sticker sales and other in-game purchases. Prosecutors say Virolainen failed to include that revenue on his tax forms.

On Friday, October 16, an indictment was read at the Eastern Uusimaa District Court. It accused the pro of failing to declare €53,000 (about $59,553) in income from Valve in 2020. Prosecutors claim he dodged roughly €28,000 ($31,441) in taxes because of it. Virolainen admitted he didn't declare the earnings, but said he had no idea he needed to. He was just 22 at the time and didn't really get how the tax system worked, his defense argued. They also said he thought his taxes were already handled since tax had been taken out of his general income, and he wasn't trying to gain anything by skipping the report.

The alleged offense happened between May 19 and September 22, 2020, in Vantaa, Finland. According to a subpoena, Virolainen didn't return a pre-filled tax return for 2019 and didn't report any missing income from Valve. Prosecutors want that four-month suspended sentence. But here's the key: he hasn't been formally convicted yet. The district court will issue a ruling later. Virolainen reportedly pleaded not guilty.

A tweet with footage of him arriving at court went viral in the CS2 community, showing him sitting in the courtroom as cameras flashed. The now-29-year-old is still an active player for Natus Vincere. Back when the alleged fraud happened, he was competing at two Majors with ENCE, including a Grand Finals run at IEM Katowice 2019. He hasn't made a public statement about the case yet.

This whole situation is a reminder that esports earnings—especially from in-game items like stickers—can get complicated when it comes to taxes. For fans, it's a shock to see a beloved pro in this position. For players, it's a cautionary tale about keeping your finances in order. What do you think about the case? Will you be following the court's ruling? Let us know in the comments.