A fresh match-fixing scandal has rocked the Chinese Counter-Strike 2 scene after a whistleblower alleged that veteran pro HaoWen “somebody” Xu was directly involved in the matter.
ATOX was once seen as a rising force in the Asia-Pacific CS2 scene. But in 2025, ESIC banned several members of the squad after uncovering match-fixing tied to Chinese syndicates. The scandal stemmed from money moved around during the team’s ESL Pro League S20 match against Falcons. The team is now once again at the center of a controversy following a whistleblower’s allegation that ATOX was run by alleged match-fixer Chen Peng working alongside CS2 pro somebody.
Chinese community figure ShukeBai has released recordings and chat logs that detail an alleged match-fixing network. He accuses Chen Peng and ex-pro somebody of leading the operation, weighty accusations in the world of CS2.
While these were initially mere rumors that caused a stir across social media, they gained serious weight when renowned CS2 pro Mohammad “BOROS” Malhas validated the claims, revealing that somebody had approached him personally with an offer to fix a match.
Both BOROS and somebody are stable names in the Tier-A CS2 pro scene, with the latter having a decorated resume in Chinese Counter-Strike that includes time spent representing top teams such as TYLOO and Rare Atom across multiple Majors. BOROS built his reputation internationally with Monte and Team Falcons, competing at the highest levels of CS2.
Taking to X, BOROS claimed that somebody personally approached him with an offer to throw a match while he was competing in China. BOROS made it clear that he turned the proposal down, stating that he had no interest in compromising his integrity for money.
Boros on X
However, the claims extend beyond direct match-fixing offers. In one of the released recordings, Chen Peng allegedly admitted to using “soft routers” in the past, a method that can provide radar information and give teams an unfair advantage online. What makes these revelations more alarming is the suggestion that Chen Peng and somebody are only two pieces of a much larger puzzle.
According to ShukeBai, multiple teams and players across China may have been connected to the operation, with the match-fixing stretching back several years. The timing could hardly be worse for Chinese CS2 as a whole. The region has already struggled to keep pace internationally, with TYLOO and Lynn Vision often carrying the torch at global events. These allegations risk further undermining the progress of the many players who compete cleanly.
Despite it all, ShukeBai stressed that organizations including TYLOO and LVG still field talented rosters that “deserve support” and should not be painted with the same brush as all those who may find themselves accused.
As of now, ESIC and tournament organizers have not issued any new sanctions based on the evidence presented, but that may change as investigations progress and more evidence becomes available.
Featured image credit: PGL
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