Finnish prosecutors are seeking a four-month suspended prison sentence for Natus Vincere (NAVI) Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) captain Aleksi “Aleksib“ Virolainen following charges of aggravated tax fraud in Finland.
As reported by Finnish publication Iltalehti, the charges stem from over €53,000 in undeclared income received from game developer Valve Corporation between May 2020 and September 2020.
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According to court documents cited by Iltalehti, the state prosecutor alleges that Virolainen failed to submit a pre-filled 2019 tax return and omitted income payments distributed directly by Valve during his tenure as a player for OG. The prosecution asserts that the omitted taxable revenue resulted in an underassessment of income tax exceeding €28,000, arguing that the omission was intended to secure substantial financial benefit and therefore meets the threshold for aggravated tax fraud under Finnish criminal law.
Under the Finnish penal code, aggravated tax fraud charges carry potential penalties ranging from four months to four years of imprisonment. However, prosecutors have requested a four-month suspended sentence, meaning Virolainen would not serve immediate custodial time if convicted, provided he satisfies court-mandated conditions.
Addressing the charges in court, Virolainen conceded that the €53,000 was omitted from his tax filings but denied intentional wrongdoing or financial gain. Defence representatives clarified that the undeclared revenue originated from in-game Counter-Strike item sales, specifically digital team and player stickers distributed by Valve.
The defence argued that Virolainen, who was 22 years old at the time of the transactions in 2020, did not understand that sticker revenue constituted taxable income in Finland. Because regular tax withholdings had been processed on his standard playing salary from his team, Virolainen believed his tax obligations had been fully satisfied.
The District Court of East Uusimaa will deliver its ruling at a later date. The ongoing legal proceedings come as Virolainen continues his competitive duties for NAVI.
