Brazilian pro gamer turned influencer sentenced to 116 years in prison on fraud charges
- Shayene "shAy" Victorio was a Brazilian pro esports player who became an influencer with tens of thousands of followers across social media.
- She was recently sentenced to 116 years in prison, according to a report on Tuesday from Brazilian website Universo Online. Despite the 116 year sentence, prisoners in Brazil can serve no more than 30 years.
- She was convicted on fraud charges related to an online store she helped run between 2013 and 2017; more than 100 customers claimed they never received orders or refunds from the shop.
- Victorio and her lawyer said they are appealing the ruling, and she pointed to a former partner in the business as the responsible party.
- In the meantime, she's exited social media.
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A Brazilian influencer who pivoted from a former career in professional gaming has been sentenced to 116 years in prison "plus fines" due to fraud charges, Brazilian website Universo Online reported on Tuesday.
Shayene "shAy" Victorio, who is known for her competitive background in "Counter-Strike: Global Offensive," was convicted of multiple counts of fraud and faces a 116 year prison sentences as a result - despite the much longer sentence, according to Brazilian law, the maximum prison term for a single crime is 30 years.
According to the report, Brazil's Special Action Group to Combat Organized Crime carried out the investigation into accusations that Victorio - as co-owner and operator of an online storefront from 2013 to 2017 - sold goods that were never delivered nor refunded.
She denies the claims, and points blame at her former partners in the venture. Victorio is also appealing the ruling.
"We will appeal against the sentence that we consider inhumane, awaiting a new decision and under the guise of the principle of innocence," her lawyer told Universio Online.
On Tuesday, she issued a statement (in Portuguese) on her Instagram account, in which she updates followers on her current life:
In the note, Victorio said she is currently free while the appeals process happens. "I am not arrested and I will not be arrested," she said, in an attempt to push back on reports that she is a fugitive.
Prior to becoming an influencer, Victorio had been well known within the Brazilian "Counter-Strike: Global Offensive" competitive scene. She spent more than 10 years competing in the original "Counter-Strike" and a follow-up, "Counter-Strike: Global Offensive."
It was only last May that she left the world of esports to focus on a new career as a social media influencer. For now, however, Victorio says she's leaving social media "to take care of my sanity."
