Two professional Valorant gamers from the Singaporean esports team Resurgence, Malcolm Chung “Germsg” Wai Kiat and Ryan “Dreamycsgo” Tan Shern, have been handed legal consequences for their involvement in a match-fixing scandal.
On Friday (May 26), Malcolm Chung Wai Kiat, aged 25, received a four-month prison sentence and was also directed to pay a fine of S$400 (equivalent to US$296), according to Channel News Asia.
The incident, which occurred during a regional Valorant tournament, tarnished the reputation of the team and led to its disbandment. The court proceedings shed light on a series of events involving illegal gambling, unpaid debts, and the deliberate manipulation of a match outcome for personal gain.
Background:
Chung, the captain of Resurgence, had lent Tan money in the past to support his gambling habits. However, Tan was unable to repay the debt, prompting Chung to request payment on multiple occasions. As the EPULZE Royal Southeast Asia Cup Tournament approached in September 2020, where Resurgence had suffered consecutive losses, Tan proposed a plan to intentionally lose a match and profit from bets placed against their team. Desperate to recover his money, Chung reluctantly agreed to Tan’s proposition.
The Match-Fixing Scheme:
Tan managed to borrow S$3,000 from his brother, which he transferred to Chung. Using the funds, Chung placed bets against Resurgence on an illicit gambling website where he had an account. During the match against Team Blackbird Ignis from Japan, Chung deliberately underperformed and influenced his teammates to do the same. Consequently, Resurgence lost the match with a score of 0-2.
The Consequences:
As a result of their match-fixing activities, Chung won over S$7,000 from the illicit bets. After transferring more than half of the winnings back to Tan and a friend, Chung kept a portion for himself. The incident caused significant public disquiet within the esports industry, damaging Resurgence’s reputation. Subsequently, the Chief Operating Officer of the team’s managing company filed a police report, leading to legal action against Chung and Tan, Mothership reported.
Legal Proceedings and Sanctions:
On May 26, 2023, Chung was sentenced to four months in jail after pleading guilty to corruptly receiving gratification, while Tan received a minimum of six months of reformative training for his role in bribing Chung to fix the match. The court took into account Tan’s longstanding friendship with Chung, which had originated from their time playing another online game, Counter-Strike, together in 2014.
Additionally, the charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Remote Gambling Act were considered during the proceedings.
Impact on the Team and Esports Industry
Match-fixing scandal had severe repercussions for Resurgence. The team’s reputation suffered a significant blow, leading to its eventual disbandment. Riot Games, the developer of Valorant, also took action by imposing sanctions on Chung, Tan, and multiple members of Resurgence’s roster. The incident shed light on the importance of maintaining integrity within the esports industry, emphasizing the need for vigilance against match-fixing and illegal gambling activities.
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