Thai national Arena of Valor player and accomplice arrested for Fraud after SEA Games drama

Thai esports is facing an unprecedented crisis following the arrest of Naphat "Tokyogurl" Warasin, a player for the women's national Arena of Valor team, and her accomplice. The case, dubbed "Operation Ghostbuster" by the Central Investigation Bureau, involves "technological fraud" orchestrated during the 33rd SEA Games held in Thailand, an event whose starting point was previously reported by Sheep Esports.

This scandal broke on December 15, 2025, during the upper bracket final between Thailand and Vietnam, when referees detected suspicious behavior on stage at Chulalongkorn University's Phra Kaew Hall, where the tournament match was taking place.

According to investigation reports and suspect confessions, the modus operandi relied on equipment substitution and remote technical assistance. Specifically, Naphat Warasin used a personal phone, identical to the official competition model, to connect to the Discord application to share her screen with an accomplice outside, Chaiyo “Cheerio”. The latter controlled the player's account in real time from another location. To conceal the maneuver, the player hid the official competition phone under her legs while pretending to play on her own device.

During the filmed interrogation, Cheerio detailed the manipulation performed by Tokyogurl: "If the camera films elsewhere, we switch. We put the other one [the official phone] on top like this, then take it away, and for the referee's main device, we slide it down and wedge it under the thigh". This logistics aimed to bypass the surveillance of cameras and officials on set. However, the system failed during the decisive round following a password change by the referees and connection issues in the game lobby, forcing Naphat to regain effective control when she no longer had the required skill level.

During searches conducted on February 4, 2026, in the provinces of Nakhon Phanom and Nonthaburi, both suspects admitted to the facts. Cheerio, 23, admitted to acting as a "stand-in" for Naphat on a recurring basis, including during the national selection phases in May 2025. The Crime Suppression Division explained during a lengthy television broadcast that "they surrendered in the face of the evidence".

He justified his participation by a financial dependence on the player: "I live alone and I need money. She looked after me, helped me with my move, helped me buy things. If I had nothing for food or rent, she helped me". He also admitted that he was already playing in her place previously to boost her ranking and created content for her TikTok account, even before she joined the national team.

In exchange for a victory at the SEA Games, Naphat had promised him a substantial material reward in the form of a latest-generation iPhone. In the event of a loss, she nevertheless continued to provide for his basic needs. Cheerio expressed his regrets on camera: "I would like to apologize to the Association, the organizers, and society. Please forgive me, I will not do it again".

Sporting sanctions were immediate and radical. The Thai Esports Federation (TESF) and the publisher Garena announced a lifetime ban for Naphat Warasin from all official competitions. Her professional club, TALON, also terminated her contract as of December 16, 2025, citing a serious violation of regulations. Santi Lorthong, president of the TESF, even issued an official apology, stating: "There is no pride in a victory obtained through cheating; it has no value. It is a shame for the country". He personally challenged the player, asking her to break her silence: "Tokyogurl, come and apologize. You have hurt Thailand, it is humiliating in front of others".

The team captain, Kanokpan "Koda" Sirinan, testified to the betrayal felt by other members of the group. She revealed that doubts already existed during the intensive training camp preceding the competition. "Her level of play in training and on the match day was completely different. In training, she was excellent, but in the match, she claimed to be panicked to explain her poor performance," she explained.

The team ultimately chose to withdraw from the competition to preserve national honor, allowing Vietnam to win the gold medal. Koda concluded by recounting her disappointment: "I am disappointed, but I am not angry. I am just deeply disappointed because she knew better than anyone how much I was waiting for this tournament to prove my worth".

On the legal front, the case marks a turning point as it is not being treated as a simple sporting infraction, one of the first times in the world of esports, but as a computer crime. Both individuals are being prosecuted for violating the Computer Crime Act of 2007, specifically articles 5, 6, and 7 regarding illegal access to a protected system and the disclosure of security measures. Police Major General Pattanasak Bubphasuwan, commander of the Crime Suppression Division, even stated that "this case is not a simple game fraud; it is a technological crime that harms the dignity and honor of the nation".

The police emphasized that the credentials provided for the competition were personal and protected; their transmission to a third party therefore constitutes a criminal offense. The defendants face a maximum penalty of two years' imprisonment and a fine of 40,000 baht ($1,287). After pleading guilty, they were referred to the Pathum Wan District Prosecutor's Office. The court has set the verdict date for March 17, 2026.