Stewie2K alleged of ~$25,000 USD fraud

The star of ELEAGUE Boston 2018, North America's one and only Major win, Stewie2K is no new name in the world of controversies. The American Counter-Strike veteran is known for his quick temper, misaligned attitude and improper peer treatment among other issues. In his latest controversy, Stewie2K has been accused of scamming MitaoCatCS, a respected name in the Counter-Strike trading community out of nearly $25,000 USD in a series of failed trades and unpaid loans. The incident, which began as a private dispute, has now evolved into a public controversy that continues to draw attention from both the trading and esports communities.

Former coach and analyst Kassad also commented on the matter, criticizing Stewie’s conduct and referencing his alleged history of gambling-related behavior. As the discussion intensified, others in the scene questioned how one of North America’s most recognizable names could end up in such a dispute, especially with someone as established as Mitao.

According to Mitao’s statements and screenshots shared on X, the two had been in contact for several weeks, during which Mitao regularly helped Stewie2K sell and exchange high-value skins for cryptocurrency. These were not small transactions, often ranging between $2,000 USD and $5,000 USD per deal. Mitao has a strong reputation within the trading scene, known for handling large-scale exchanges for professional players and collectors alike. Their working relationship appeared steady until Stewie began asking for advance payments on skins that were, according to him, temporarily trade-locked.

Initially, Stewie’s explanations seemed reasonable. Mitao apparently fronted smaller amounts of money and some early transactions were reportedly completed without issue. However, as the exchanges continued, Stewie allegedly began requesting larger sums, at one point asking for over $12,000 USD in advance. The justification shifted from trade delays to personal financial issues. Messages shared by Mitao show repeated promises of repayment “soon,” followed by long periods of silence. By mid-October, communication had largely stopped, leaving a significant balance unpaid.

Yesterday, Mitao went public, sharing close to a hundred screenshots across more than 30 tweets documenting his interactions with Stewie2K. The material showed a clear pattern of excuses and postponed deadlines. Among the claims were allegations that Stewie sent edited or falsified screenshots of trade logs, suggesting that trades had been reversed by bots to justify his inability to deliver the promised items.

The situation quickly spread across social platforms. Members of the CS2 trading community stepped forward to support Mitao, describing similar experiences of delayed or incomplete payments when dealing with Stewie2K. Several users claimed he had a habit of rushing others to send money when he was due but often avoided payment when he owed others. The narrative was reinforced by the perception that Stewie’s financial troubles might be linked to gambling, an issue some community members and fellow professionals have discussed publicly before.

Stewie2K has since addressed the issue briefly on his Twitch stream. In the clips circulating online, he acknowledged owing money to Mitao and stated he intends to repay it by October 31st. He denied current involvement in gambling but admitted to past activity during his professional career. His statements on stream appeared inconsistent at times, with references to family issues, ongoing financial complications, and loans he claimed to have given to others. Viewers described the explanations as confusing, with no concrete evidence of repayment provided so far.

The controversy has reignited discussion around gambling and financial irresponsibility among esports personalities, as well as the risks of unregulated trading systems. Stewie2K's latest controversy comes a few months after jkaem allegedly dug himself into a crippling €300,000 EUR debt. At the time, kassad took to X, exposing the situation.

The thread below shows all of the screenshots posted by Mitao on X -