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Active: 3264 users

Firefly given lifetime ban by ESIC following match-fixing…

Forum Index > SC2 General
20 CommentsPost a Reply
1 2 Next All
TL.net ESPORTS
Profile Joined July 2011
4 Posts
Last Edited: 2025-07-08 15:57:50
July 08 2025 15:53 GMT
#1
https://esic.gg/sanction-outcome/esic-issues-lifetime-ban-to-starcraft-ii-player-xue-firefly-tao-following-match-fixing-investigation/


The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) has issued a lifetime ban to (Wiki)Firefly after concluding an investigation into his alleged match-fixing activities.

In late/May early June, former Chinese pro (Wiki)Jim posted a detailed account to the SCBOY (Chinese community) forums of how he Firefly had collaborated to engage in multiple instances match-fixing. ESIC began an investigation around this time, and issued a temporary suspension to Firefly which resulted in his removal from the Esports World Cup.

The summary of the final ESIC report and ruling reads as follows:

"The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) today announced the outcome of its investigation into serious integrity breaches involving professional StarCraft II competitors Xue “Firefly” Tao and Gao “Jim” Mengwei. Mr. Tao has been banned from ESIC Member events and competitions for life, while Mr. Mengwei has been provisionally suspended pending further sanction.

Following a detailed inquiry spanning April to July 2024, ESIC uncovered evidence of a coordinated match-fixing and profit-sharing scheme. The investigation found that Mr. Tao deliberately manipulated match outcomes to benefit illicit betting activity orchestrated by Mr. Mengwei, with whom he had a long-standing association.

Key findings include:

  • Pre-match wagers placed by Mr. Mengwei predicting Firefly’s losses — often by precise scorelines.

  • Consistent match losses by Firefly aligning with those wagers across seven tournaments.

  • Large Alipay transfers from Mengwei to Firefly immediately following these matches.

  • A WeChat exchange on 21 August 2024 directly referencing prior payments and an effort to conceal evidence."


According to the full report, the ESIC obtained payment information, betting slips, and chat logs directly from Jim. Additionally, information on suspicious betting activity in the relevant matches was received from various sportsbooks.

ESIC is a broad anti-corruption body in esports which includes member organizations such as ESL and Dreamhack. Although the Esports World Cup is not listed as an official member or partner, EWC's removal of Firefly following ESIC's provisional suspension suggests it defers to ESIC's rulings.
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BisuDagger
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
Bisutopia19246 Posts
July 08 2025 16:57 GMT
#2
Dang, this situation just sucks. I hope Firefly learns from this and can find a good honest life in the years ahead of him.
ModeratorFormer Afreeca Starleague Caster: http://afreeca.tv/ASL2ENG2
Kaul-S04
Profile Joined July 2025
1 Post
July 08 2025 17:47 GMT
#3
However it should be Cao "Jim" Jinhui.liquipedia.net

I don't know who Gao Mengwei is and why ESIC made this mistake.
Waxangel
Profile Blog Joined September 2002
United States33418 Posts
Last Edited: 2025-07-08 19:15:56
July 08 2025 19:14 GMT
#4
On July 09 2025 02:47 Kaul-S04 wrote:
However it should be Cao "Jim" Jinhui.liquipedia.net

I don't know who Gao Mengwei is and why ESIC made this mistake.


lol that's a really weird clerical error

i wonder if that was their translator or something like that (or Jim was going by a fake government name for a decade)
AdministratorHey HP can you redo everything youve ever done because i have a small complaint?
argonautdice
Profile Joined January 2013
Canada2719 Posts
July 08 2025 19:30 GMT
#5
On July 09 2025 04:14 Waxangel wrote:
Show nested quote +
On July 09 2025 02:47 Kaul-S04 wrote:
However it should be Cao "Jim" Jinhui.liquipedia.net

I don't know who Gao Mengwei is and why ESIC made this mistake.


lol that's a really weird clerical error

i wonder if that was their translator or something like that (or Jim was going by a fake government name for a decade)

Also not following the Chinese naming convention of family name first so it should've been Mr. Xue and Mr. Gao.
very illegal and very uncool
davyhuss
Profile Joined July 2019
7 Posts
July 08 2025 19:30 GMT
#6
On July 09 2025 04:14 Waxangel wrote:
Show nested quote +
On July 09 2025 02:47 Kaul-S04 wrote:
However it should be Cao "Jim" Jinhui.liquipedia.net

I don't know who Gao Mengwei is and why ESIC made this mistake.


lol that's a really weird clerical error

i wonder if that was their translator or something like that (or Jim was going by a fake government name for a decade)


Pretty sure it's just a stupid error. Both Jim's and Firefly's legal names are on the transaction records Jim posted on scboy.cc.
Gluon
Profile Joined April 2011
Netherlands393 Posts
July 09 2025 14:27 GMT
#7
I'm confused by this, Jim was both the person who benefited from placing bets and also the person who brought this scheme to light? That seems rather folly
Administrator
tigera6
Profile Joined March 2021
3398 Posts
July 09 2025 14:48 GMT
#8
I guess this ban would extend to all other potential e-sport that is run by ESL, what about games like AoE?
Antithesis
Profile Joined August 2010
Germany1189 Posts
July 09 2025 16:19 GMT
#9
On July 09 2025 23:48 tigera6 wrote:
I guess this ban would extend to all other potential e-sport that is run by ESL, what about games like AoE?

Whether officially related to ESIC or not, I cannot imagine any professional tournament organizer permitting participation of a player convicted of matchfixing on multiple counts.
Mutation complete.
Creager
Profile Joined February 2011
Germany1895 Posts
July 09 2025 16:30 GMT
#10
On July 09 2025 23:27 Gluon wrote:
I'm confused by this, Jim was both the person who benefited from placing bets and also the person who brought this scheme to light? That seems rather folly


Why? I don't think it's completely unreasonable to assume one of the following scenarios:

1. Jim felt guilty, grew a conscience and wanted a clean slate, whatever that entails (seems very unlikely to me, but who knows)
2. Jim and Firefly had some kind of falling-out, which resulted in Jim receiving the short end of the stick and therefore acted in retaliation
3. Some third non-disclosed party has additional dirt on Jim and pressured him into confessing, in this case we might not have the full picture, yet
... einmal mit Profis spielen!
Mizenhauer
Profile Blog Joined February 2015
United States1878 Posts
July 09 2025 20:03 GMT
#11
For some, the action is the juice.
┗|∵|┓Second Place in LB 28, Third Place in LB 29 and Destined to Be a Kong
pzlama333
Profile Joined April 2013
United States277 Posts
July 09 2025 20:07 GMT
#12
On July 09 2025 23:27 Gluon wrote:
I'm confused by this, Jim was both the person who benefited from placing bets and also the person who brought this scheme to light? That seems rather folly


Jim is a gambler and lost all his money in gambling and have debt to be paid. He feels Firefly should owe him 10k CNY in one of their previous cooperation of match-fixing, but Firefly refused to give him the money. It is his last effort to try to get some money, or he would make Firedly also doomed before Jim is doomed himself.
Waxangel
Profile Blog Joined September 2002
United States33418 Posts
Last Edited: 2025-07-11 16:26:31
July 09 2025 22:45 GMT
#13
On July 10 2025 01:30 Creager wrote:
Show nested quote +
On July 09 2025 23:27 Gluon wrote:
I'm confused by this, Jim was both the person who benefited from placing bets and also the person who brought this scheme to light? That seems rather folly


Why? I don't think it's completely unreasonable to assume one of the following scenarios:

1. Jim felt guilty, grew a conscience and wanted a clean slate, whatever that entails (seems very unlikely to me, but who knows)
2. Jim and Firefly had some kind of falling-out, which resulted in Jim receiving the short end of the stick and therefore acted in retaliation
3. Some third non-disclosed party has additional dirt on Jim and pressured him into confessing, in this case we might not have the full picture, yet


it's 100% explicit in Jim's original thread that Firefly didn't pay Jim money he was owed, and Jim was pissed off because of that

Make sure to pay your debts kids, or someone might reveal your deepest darkest crimes
AdministratorHey HP can you redo everything youve ever done because i have a small complaint?
Creager
Profile Joined February 2011
Germany1895 Posts
July 10 2025 06:25 GMT
#14
On July 10 2025 07:45 Waxangel wrote:
Show nested quote +
On July 10 2025 01:30 Creager wrote:
On July 09 2025 23:27 Gluon wrote:
I'm confused by this, Jim was both the person who benefited from placing bets and also the person who brought this scheme to light? That seems rather folly


Why? I don't think it's completely unreasonable to assume one of the following scenarios:

1. Jim felt guilty, grew a conscience and wanted a clean slate, whatever that entails (seems very unlikely to me, but who knows)
2. Jim and Firefly had some kind of falling-out, which resulted in Jim receiving the short end of the stick and therefore acted in retaliation
3. Some third non-disclosed party has additional dirt on Jim and pressured him into confessing, in this case we might not have the full picture, yet


it's 100% explicit in Jim's original thread that Firefly didn't pay Jim money he was owed, and Jim was pissed off because of that


Ah, thanks for clarifying!
... einmal mit Profis spielen!
deepseer
Profile Joined August 2015
31 Posts
July 10 2025 06:30 GMT
#15
They've fixed Jim's name, but not completely.
Jim is still referred to as Jinhui "Jim" Cao, and Mr. Jinhui, rather than Cao "Jim" Jinhui and Mr. Cao.

Are naming conventions in East Asia really that incomprehensible to Westerners?
Anyway, Liquipedia got these names right. They didn't even bother to check the site. Sigh.
PurE)Rabbit-SF
Profile Blog Joined December 2006
United States654 Posts
Last Edited: 2025-07-10 21:02:29
July 10 2025 21:01 GMT
#16
On July 10 2025 15:30 deepseer wrote:
They've fixed Jim's name, but not completely.
Jim is still referred to as Jinhui "Jim" Cao, and Mr. Jinhui, rather than Cao "Jim" Jinhui and Mr. Cao.

Are naming conventions in East Asia really that incomprehensible to Westerners?
Anyway, Liquipedia got these names right. They didn't even bother to check the site. Sigh.

Yes, in Chinese last name goes first before first name. Backward from western convention.

Edit: I see....... they are just not serious xD
Mostly a troll, bi-polar by design, occasionally brain malfunction. Please forgive me. xD
deepseer
Profile Joined August 2015
31 Posts
July 11 2025 00:57 GMT
#17
On July 11 2025 06:01 PurE)Rabbit-SF wrote:
Show nested quote +
On July 10 2025 15:30 deepseer wrote:
They've fixed Jim's name, but not completely.
Jim is still referred to as Jinhui "Jim" Cao, and Mr. Jinhui, rather than Cao "Jim" Jinhui and Mr. Cao.

Are naming conventions in East Asia really that incomprehensible to Westerners?
Anyway, Liquipedia got these names right. They didn't even bother to check the site. Sigh.

Yes, in Chinese last name goes first before first name. Backward from western convention.

Edit: I see....... they are just not serious xD


Most Chinese and Koreans (except those in the overseas community) prefer to put their family names before given names, even in an English context. Unless in academic conferences or journals, because each conference or journal has its own format for names.
To avoid ambiguity, for Asian people it's better to use "family name" and "given name" instead of "last name" and "first name".
Schuelkea
Profile Joined July 2025
1 Post
July 11 2025 05:46 GMT
#18
--- Nuked ---
duckTemplar
Profile Joined February 2011
United States167 Posts
July 31 2025 15:13 GMT
#19
Remind me of a zerg player, Life. I think the handle was. Who got a sword from GSL studio.
The first word Kerrigan said to Raynor was "...You Pig!", to Raynor's response "What? ... oh you're a psychic"
Slydie
Profile Joined August 2013
1922 Posts
July 31 2025 18:25 GMT
#20
On August 01 2025 00:13 duckTemplar wrote:
Remind me of a zerg player, Life. I think the handle was. Who got a sword from GSL studio.


I think this is the saddest of all SC2 stories, much worse than this one. It happened to the biggest Star at the worst possible time, right as the scene started to struggle to find sponsors.

Afaik, it has even been a taboo to talk about it here, but it has been a while, so maybe it ok now?
Buff the siegetank
1 2 Next All
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