French esports organisation 3DMAX, which competes in Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) tournaments, has been hit by a major fraud involving a former partner that caused the team to suffer financial losses in the six-figure range, close to seven figures.
3DMAX CEO Stephane Pons revealed in an interview with LaSource.gg that, shortly before he took over, the organisation fell victim to fraud committed by a former partner. He explained that the incident severely weakened the club both financially and structurally.
Stephane did not reveal the exact figure or the name of the partner involved in the fraud. However, since he mentioned that the amount is close to seven figures and 3DMAX is a French organisation, it can be assumed the loss could be calculated in euros and may be somewhere near €1 million, which is approximately $1.18 million.
Due to his background in finance, Stephane was able to identify unusual financial transactions. After discovering the irregularities, he froze all organisational revenues while waiting for clarification, although he already understood what had likely happened.
The CEO further confirmed that all team revenues disappeared, including income from tournament sticker money. Sticker money is a major revenue-sharing system in Counter-Strike tournaments (specifically Majors) where Valve splits 50% of revenue from team/player-autograph sticker capsules with participating teams and players.
He stated that legal proceedings are currently ongoing. Despite the heavy losses, Stephane confirmed that he and the club owner committed to covering 100 percent of the missing money owed to the players. He explained that it took time to find solutions but added that the organisation is now close to resolving the situation and will soon share positive news.
When asked whether the club is now financially stable and able to let players focus only on performance, the CEO said stability has not yet been fully restored. However, he explained that the organisation is actively working toward that goal and the available revenues are being allocated carefully to ensure the team has everything needed to compete.
Stephane also acknowledged his own role during the difficult period. He explained that he stepped back significantly due to the financial crisis and allowed the team to self-manage more than he things he should have. The CEO confirmed that he takes responsibility for those shortcomings and is committed to providing clearer direction moving forward.
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