A Finnish prosecutor has demanded a four-month suspended prison sentence for Counter-Strike player Aleksi “Aleksib” Virolainen, 29. The charge is aggravated tax fraud. The case was read in court on Friday at the Eastern Uusimaa District Court.
This story matters because Aleksib is one of the biggest names in Counter-Strike. In addition, he is the first Finnish player to win a prestigious Major tournament. As a result, the outcome of the case will draw attention from fans far beyond Finland.
From Valve Payments to a Tax Dispute
According to the charge, Virolainen did not report tens of thousands of euros that he received from the US game company Valve Corporation. The alleged crime took place in Vantaa between May 19, 2020, and September 22, 2020.
Aleksib is currently one of the superstars of Counter-Strike, also known as CS. He has played for the successful team Natus Vincere, or Navi, since 2023. The following year, he won the PGL Major Copenhagen tournament with his team. It was the first time a Finnish player had won a Major of this level. In 2025, he was also nominated for Finnish Sportsperson of the Year, although he finished far from the top places.
What the Prosecutor Claims and How the Defense Responds
According to the summons application, Virolainen did not return his pre-filled tax return for 2019. He also did not report payments that were missing from it and that he had received from Valve. The prosecutor says the unreported taxable income was more than €53,000. As a result, his income tax was set more than €28,000 too low.
The prosecutor believes Virolainen sought significant financial gain. Therefore, the prosecutor argues that the act should also be seen as aggravated when viewed as a whole.
However, Virolainen sees the case differently. He admits that he did not report more than €53,000 to the tax authority. At the same time, he denies that he did it on purpose. He also denies that he tried to gain financial benefit.
According to his defense, the unreported income came from the sale of so-called stickers in Counter-Strike. The defense says that Virolainen was 22 years old at the time. In its view, he did not understand that this kind of income is taxable. Meanwhile, tax had been withheld in advance from his actual work income. For this reason, he thought his taxes had already been paid.
What Happens Next
The district court will give its verdict at a later date, according to Iltalehti. Until then, the prosecutor’s demand for a four-month suspended sentence remains the key point of the case. Finally, the ruling will show whether the court accepts Aleksib’s claim that he did not act intentionally.
