BETREF$

Aleksib convicted of tax fraud over CS sticker money: what the court ruled

October 29, 2026 · by MattCS

NAVI's in-game leader Aleksi "Aleksib" Virolainen has been convicted of aggravated tax fraud in Finland over Counter-Strike sticker money. On 27 October 2026 the Eastern Uusimaa District Court gave him a four-month suspended prison sentence for not declaring €53,227.90 that Valve paid him in 2019 for sticker sales. He denies the offence and the ruling is not final.

View the post on X

What was he convicted of?

In 2019, when he captained ENCE, Valve paid Aleksib €53,227.90 in six transfers for his share of Major sticker sales from IEM Katowice and StarLadder Berlin, according to the judgment as reported by The Esports Advocate. Valve withheld no tax, the payments weren't on his pre-filled Finnish tax return, and he didn't add them. That left his 2019 income tax €28,196.40 too low.

The offence itself is dated 19 May to 22 September 2020, the months when his 2019 return was being processed. That's why some coverage ties the case to 2020: the money is from 2019, the missing declaration from 2020.

He has since paid the tax in full, after the tax office reassessed his 2019 income in 2020.

Why the court didn't believe him

Aleksib's defence was that he thought tax had already been taken from the sticker money, the way it was from his ENCE salary, and didn't know he had to declare it himself. He was 22 at the time and living with his parents, and told the court he understands tax better now.

The court called that explanation not credible. The sticker money was roughly a third of his 2019 income, and he had said he usually checked his tax proposal at home, so the court found it implausible that he didn't notice it was missing. Failing to report income counts as tax fraud only with intent, and the court found that he meant to avoid the tax.

Will he go to prison?

No, unless he commits another crime. The sentence is suspended with two years of probation, until 26 October 2028. Aggravated tax fraud in Finland carries four months to four years, and the court gave him the minimum, noting he has no earlier record. Four months suspended is also what the prosecutor asked for at the hearing on 16 October, Strafe reported. The court also turned down his request that the state pay his €6,431.92 in legal costs.

View the post on X

Can he appeal?

Yes. He has until 3 November to tell the court he's unhappy with the verdict, which keeps an appeal open, and until 26 November to file the appeal itself, which would go to the Helsinki Court of Appeal. The 3 November step is from The Esports Advocate's reading of the judgment; Iltalehti reported where an appeal would go. Most posts mention only the 26 November date, a few only 3 November, which is why you'll see both.

As of 29 October, neither NAVI nor Aleksib has commented on the verdict publicly, and nothing reported says it stops him from playing.

How long has this been going on?

The charge became public in March 2026, when Finnish outlet Iltalehti reported that Aleksib was accused of aggravated tax fraud; he told it the matter was about income from competitive gaming. Prosecutors made their case at a hearing on 16 October, and Finnish media reported the verdict on 27 October. NAVI played Vitality at PGL Masters Bucharest that same day and lost.

He isn't the first. In 2020 a Swedish court convicted Robin "flusha" Rönnquist over undeclared 2015 prize money and gave him community service instead of four months in prison.

Sticker money is income

Players and teams get a share of the money from every Major sticker sold. Aleksib's share from two 2019 Majors came to more than €53,000. Valve pays it as a royalty, outside any salary, so nothing is withheld and declaring it is up to the player.

Sources

Sources