A South Korean special investigations unit has identified 12 people it believes are heavily involved in a StarCraft 2 match-fixing ring.
According to the official prosecutor’s report, translated by StarCraft community site Team Liquid, the investigators have indicted and arrested nine suspects, including one head coach and two pro-gamers from StarCraft 2 eSports team, Prime.
Those involved reportedly accepted offers in the range of $5,000 to $17,500 to fix five professional matches earlier this year.
One former pro-gamer, four brokers, and two known criminals, who provided the compensation for the deals, have also been apprehended.
Two recruiters, who attempted to find new members for their gambling “club” have been indicted, but not arrested. Only one member of the group managed to avoid capture.
After being made aware of the arrests, Cho Man Soo, director of the Korean eSports Association, has handed lifetime bans to Prime head coach, Gerrard (Park Wae-Sik), and StarCraft 2 pro-gamer, YoDa (Choi Byeong-Heon). Both will now have their licenses permanently suspended.
“Since 2010, the association has worked alongside the rest of the industry to fight against the illegal betting that has continued to threaten the foundation of eSports. It is extremely regrettable that a related incident has occurred again, and we apologize to all of the fans who have shown e-Sports their love and support,” said Cho Man Soo.
“Going forward, the association’s stance toward illegal betting will continue to be one of zero-compromise, and we will continue to respond strongly to create a healthy eSports culture.”