Esports Player Faces Possible Prison Term Over Income From Counter-Strike 2 Virtual Item Sales After Tax Authority Questions

Finnish Counter-Strike 2 player Aleksi Antti Kaarlo Virolainen, known on the esports scene as “Aleksib,” has gone on trial over his taxes. The 29-year-old believed the taxes on his income had already been paid.

A prosecutor has requested a four-month suspended sentence for “aggravated tax fraud.” According to the prosecution, Aleksib did not declare €53,227.90 of income in 2019. As a result, his income tax was €28,196.40 lower than it should have been.

Media reports say Aleksib pleaded not guilty in court. He explained that the sum was money earned from virtual stickers in Counter-Strike 2. Valve releases the stickers for major tournaments, and teams and players receive a share of the sales.

Aleksib thought the taxes on part of the money paid to him for stickers in 2019 had already been paid, so he did not include that income in his tax return.

The player had already paid the missing taxes and believed the matter was settled. In spring 2025, while he was traveling to a tournament, he was contacted and unexpectedly told that the case would be sent to court.

The court has not yet issued a verdict, and Aleksib declined to comment on the situation. His lawyer plans to seek compensation for legal costs if the charges are dropped. If the court finds Aleksib guilty, he will have to comply with the terms of a probation period.