A Fortnite player from Lomita, California, Sebastian Araujo, has been slapped with a hefty fine of $175,521 and banned from Fortnite ‘forever’ after cheating in competitive tournaments.
Epic Games, the developer of the game, sued Araujo after he participated in 839 cash tournaments within a span of four months, all while using a device designed to evade Fortnite’s anti-cheat system.
According to Epic, Araujo earned at least $6,850 from his cheating activities. However, the fine handed down to him is more than 25 times that amount. Court documents reveal that Epic demanded a $200 fine for each tournament Araujo entered, which totals $167,800. The remainder of the fine covers attorney fees and other associated costs.
While the amount is far higher than Araujo’s actual gains, the court acknowledged that the player took significant steps to hide the extent of his cheating by creating fake accounts and using a hardware spoofer to bypass detection. Epic had initially sought an even higher penalty of $100,000 for additional copyright infringement damages, but the judge deemed that amount excessive given Araujo’s actual earnings.
This case follows a similar incident in February 2025, when Epic forced another cheater to post a public apology video acknowledging their actions, along with a lifetime ban from the game. In both cases, the fines are being donated to Child’s Play, a charity that works to improve children’s lives by providing access to toys and games.
The legal action is part of Epic’s ongoing effort to maintain the integrity of competitive Fortnite tournaments. In November 2024, the company promised to ramp up efforts against players who cheat and those who sell cheating tools. This latest high-profile case, along with the massive fine and permanent ban, seems designed to send a clear message to anyone considering similar behavior.