Valorant esports has been rocked by a match-fixing scandal that has led to the conviction and sentencing of a professional player. Former Resurgence (RSG) Valorant captain Malcolm "Germsg" Chung Wai Kiat was handed a four-month jail term for his involvement in a match-fixing scheme that unfolded during the EPULZE Royal Southeast Asia Cup Tournament, part of the Valorant Ignition Series in 2020. Germsg's friend and fellow gamer, Ryan “Dreamycsgo” Tan, was also convicted and sentenced to reformative training at least six months as a result of his participation in the scandal.
Valorant Esports Players Sentenced for Match-Fixing
According to a report from Mothership, The history between Dreamycsgo and Germsg dates back to 2014 when they played Counterstrike together before their rise as professional gamers. Eventually, they both joined Team Resurgence (RSG)’s Valorant team, with Germsg assuming the role of captain.
The motive behind the scandal emerged when it was revealed that Dreamycsgo had borrowed $1,000 SGD from Germsg in August 2020 to fuel his gambling habits. Despite Germsg's repeated requests for repayment, Dreamycsgo found himself unable to settle the debt.
RSG Facebook
In September 2020, during the EPULZE Royal Southeast Asia Cup Tournament, part of the Valorant Ignition Series organized by Riot Games, Dreamycsgo owed Germsg at least SGD $400 SGD. It was at this critical juncture that Tan proposed they bet on Team RSG losing the match, with Chung deliberately underperforming. The plan aimed to secure a win for Tan from betting against their own team, allowing him to repay Chung.
Convinced that this was the only way to recoup his money, Germsg agreed to the scheme. Dreamycsgo managed to persuade his older brother to lend him $3,000 SGD, which he then transferred to Germsg. With the funds, Germsg placed five bets against his own team on an illegal gambling website, using his personal account.
During the match against Team Blackbird Ignis from Japan on September 22, 2020, Germsg intentionally performed poorly and instructed his team to follow suit following which RSG lost the match.
Eventually, after the matchfixing scandal came to light, a police report was filed on June 24, 2021, by the chief operating officer of RSG, alleging suspicions of match-fixing. The incident severely damaged the reputation of Team RSG, ultimately leading to the disbandment of their Valorant team.
Riot games issued a statement on this matter when the match-fixing scandal originally came to light in 2021. Germsg and Dreamycsgo were banned from competing in Valorant tournaments for 36 months, while their four teammates also received suspensions of between six months and one year.
