The accusation surfaced when erlsan took to X, claiming that jkaem had gambled away the borrowed skins and failed to return them. erlsan further alleged that jkaem had promised to “upgrade” the skins, but, after two years, had only repaid $1000 of the $11,000 total on March 15, 2025.
“I reached out multiple times and he kept on creating new excuses,” erlsan said on X. “He was traveling, he was getting paid in a week, for example. Eventually, I realized I was being too patient”.
The skin lending practice is a common yet unofficial arrangement in the esports scene, particularly in games like CS, where traders lend high-value weapon skins to professional players so their collections can be showcased on tournament broadcasts. Since these skins can be worth thousands of dollars, having them appear in high-profile matches can boost their prestige and market value.
However, this practice is entirely informal, relying on verbal agreements and trust rather than official contracts. While most loans are honored in the community, disputes usually arise when borrowed skins are lost, gambled away, or not returned as promised. With no legal framework to regulate these deals, traders are always treading risky waters, making skin lending a controversial, yet widespread part of the scene.
Following the public accusations, jkaem issued several statements on X, admitting to wrongdoing in multiple cases and taking full responsibility for his actions.
“Together with BC team we are sitting down and taking this very serious. They want to help me fix the damage I have caused everyone involved. I am being honest and open with them about my issues and how we have ended here,” he continued.
“I want to say sorry to everyone that I have taken advantage of. I am 100% in the wrong here and I have to stand in my own mess,” he reaffirmed, expressing his guilt. He also opened up about the root cause of his actions, stating: “The dead honest answer is gambling addiction, I have had that since the day I turned 18”.
This scandal comes just days after a similar case involving Walker "walker" Harris, who recently started repaying traders for $3,000 worth of stolen skins.
