Credit score: Prachanart Viriyaraks / Contributor
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A prime Thai esports participant and her companion have been arrested for dishonest in the course of the thirty third SEA Video games. Naphat “Tokyogurl” Warasin, who performed for Thailand’s girls’s Enviornment of Valor workforce, was caught utilizing know-how to cheat in a significant event.
Tokyogurl was arrested with Chaiyo “Cheerio”. Police known as the investigation “Operation Ghostbuster.” Authorities are treating this as a critical laptop crime as a result of it broken Thailand’s repute. In keeping with Sheep Esports, the dishonest was found throughout a match towards Vietnam.
Referees seen one thing suspicious was taking place on stage in the course of the sport. Tokyogurl used a pretend cellphone setup and received distant assist to cheat in the course of the sport. She introduced her private cellphone that regarded identical to the official event cellphone. She used it to hook up with Discord and share her display screen with Cheerio, who was taking part in from elsewhere.
The dishonest scheme concerned cautious planning and secret cellphone swapping
To keep away from getting caught by cameras and officers, Tokyogurl hid the true event cellphone underneath her legs. Cheerio defined the swap throughout questioning: “If the digital camera movies elsewhere, we change. We put the opposite one [the official phone] on prime like this, then take it away, and for the referee’s important gadget, we slide it down and wedge it underneath the thigh.”
The plan fell aside when referees modified the password in the course of the ultimate spherical. Tokyogurl needed to take management of her personal account, and it turned clear she didn’t have the wanted abilities. This case highlights considerations about distant gamers taking on accounts in aggressive gaming.
The rationale behind the dishonest is shocking. Cheerio admitted he had been taking part in for Naphat since Might 2025. He stated he wanted her monetary assist. “I dwell alone and I would like cash,” he stated. “She taken care of me, helped me with my transfer, helped me purchase issues. If I had nothing for meals or lease, she helped me.”
For successful the SEA Video games, Naphat promised Cheerio a brand new iPhone. Even when they misplaced, she would nonetheless pay for his primary wants. Cheerio later apologized: “I wish to apologize to the Affiliation, the organizers, and society. Please forgive me, I cannot do it once more.”
The punishments got here shortly. The Thai Esports Federation and Garena banned Naphat for all times. Her workforce, TALON, ended her contract on December 16, 2025. Thailand’s workforce captain stated the workforce had doubts throughout coaching camp.
She seen Tokyogurl’s talent stage was “utterly completely different” between follow and matches. All the workforce withdrew from the competitors. Vietnam gained the gold medal consequently. Using hidden gadgets raises questions much like controversies about surveillance know-how in aggressive settings.
Each defendants are being charged underneath the Laptop Crime Act of 2007. Police Main Normal Pattanasak Bubphasuwan stated “this case shouldn’t be a easy sport fraud; it’s a technological crime that harms the dignity and honor of the nation.” Each pleaded responsible and will resist two years in jail and a tremendous of 40,000 baht, about $1,287. The courtroom will announce the ultimate resolution on March 17, 2026.
