Esports Player Arrested After Being Accused of Cheating
An Arena of Valor esports competitor in Thailand who was allegedly caught cheating during a competition by having another person play for her has reportedly been arrested in connection with the incident, alongside her suspected conspirator. Cheating scandals in the esports world have the potential to ruin the careers of competitors and even teams, but this incident at an official Arena of Valor tournament has now resulted in criminal charges against both suspects.
Arena of Valor is a MOBA game available for mobile devices and Nintendo Switch. Developed by Timi Studio Group and published by Level Infinite, it was first launched solely in Taiwan in October 2016 before being released in other regions, including Europe and North America in 2017 and Australia in 2018. Featuring a large character roster and user-friendly controls, the game’s first official international competition was kicked off in South Korea in November 2017, drawing in more than 36 million viewers online, and it’s been featured in multiple competitive events since then, including repeated appearances in the Asian Games and the Southeast Asian Games.
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Arena of Valor’s Suspected SEA 2025 Cheaters Have Been Arrested
Now, two people have been arrested and charged in association with an alleged esports cheating scandal during the 2025 Southeast Asian Games on December 15 in Thailand. During that competition, 29-year-old Naphat Warasin, better known by her competitive gaming handle Tokyogurl, reportedly used unauthorized software and screen-sharing technology to allow 23-year-old semi-professional gamer Chaiyo, better known as Cheerio, to play Arena of Valor for her remotely while Tokyogurl was a member of the host country’s women’s national team. The team was subsequently disqualified from the competition.
New reports released on February 13 indicate that both suspects have been charged with “colluding to obtain and disclose restricted computer access credentials and unlawfully accessing computer data protected by security measures,” according to The Bangkok Post, a charge which carries a maximum penalty of two years incarceration and about $1,200 USD in fines. Both parties have received a lifetime cheating ban from participation in future competitions, and rulings on the criminal charges are expected to be handed out by the Pathumwan Kwaeng Court on March 17.
Authorities in Thailand allege that Tokyogurl shared her esports tournament-issued username and password with Cheerio, who used non-tournament-approved technology to control her character’s actions remotely from a different location. This information seems to be backed up by the two parties of interest, as while investigations were ongoing, Cheerio revealed via TikTok that he had been the one playing during the tournament, and Tokyogurl followed up with a brief message on Facebook, simply stating, “I’m sorry.”
Previous reporting on the alleged cheating incident stated that officials initially grew suspicious after Tokyogurl’s hand movements did not match the on-screen movements of the character she was supposed to be controlling, and other fellow female esports competitors on the national team suggested that she had shown odd behavior leading up to the tournament, including hiding her hands during play and expressing reluctance to attend in-person training sessions.
Newly released information from Thailand’s Crime Suppression Division revealed further details of the alleged incident, which was gathered from three separate locations. According to CSD commander Pol. Maj. Gen. Phatthanasak Bupphasuwan, officials also made note of suspicious login attempts made prior to the match, and chat records that had been obtained showed communication between Tokyogurl and Cheerio that violated tournament rules. The searches resulted in the seizures of multiple phones and internet address data, and while not confirmed by the CSD, previous reports have suggested that the cheating may have been carried out via Discord.
There appear to be no other allegations of esports cheating or cybercriminal activity related to the SEA 2025 tournament at this time. However, Thailand Esports Federation president Santi Lohtong said the alleged incident has damaged the reputation of not just the federation, but of the nation of Thailand and its competitive esports teams.
Sources: The Bangkok Post, Siamsport