CS2 Pro Banned for Life by ESL After Stealing SSDs at IEM Dallas

Adam “nbgee12” Zanzoul, a 19-year-old Counter-Strike 2 professional from North America, has been permanently banned by ESL after being caught stealing SSDs at IEM Dallas. This shocking incident has likely ended his career in the competitive gaming scene.

The incident was first reported by Dust2.us, HLTV’s North American vertical. According to their report, Zanzoul was caught on camera trespassing in an “unsecured backstage production area” at IEM Dallas and stealing SSDs belonging to fellow professionals.

Zanzoul was detained by the Dallas Police Department after ESL identified him on their security footage. Despite being held at the precinct, no charges were pressed against him. Instead, ESL has issued a lifetime ban, effectively ending his professional involvement in CS2 esports.

Zanzoul’s actions were particularly egregious because the SSDs he stole contained critical information for top players like Jake ‘Stewie2K’ Yip, Nikola ‘NiKo’ Kovač, and Guy ‘NertZ’ Iluz. These SSDs are used during tournaments to store players’ in-game settings and other essential data to ensure competitive integrity.

In a subsequent interview with North American CS2 pro and streamer Collin “CoJoMo” Moren, Zanzoul admitted to the theft. He detailed his actions, explaining that he arrived at the tournament venue at 4 AM and streamed the theft live on Discord. Zanzoul claimed he was under the influence of marijuana at the time and dismissed his actions as “trolling.”

“When [the police] realized I was just a re**** doing reed things they didn’t charge me or anything… It was f**** Discord trolling you know what I mean. It wasn’t actually intentionally going over there to f* with people,” he said during the stream.

Despite his claims, ESL’s decision to ban Zanzoul was based on both the theft and his prior record of bans for behavioral issues both in and out of the server. Initially, he received a five-year ban, which was later made permanent due to the severity of his actions and his history.

Adam “nbgee12” Zanzoul has been part of the North American CS2 scene since 2021. He was most recently seen as a stand-in for Elevate at the American RMR for the PGL Copenhagen Major. However, his career has been marred by previous disciplinary issues, including a recently reversed permanent ban for attempted match-fixing in FPL-C qualifiers.

Zanzoul’s recent behavior has left many in the community questioning his future in esports. During his interview with Dust2.us, he expressed deep regret for his actions. “Words cannot adequately express how humiliating and dejecting this has been. I am genuinely disgusted by my behavior and am committed to learning from this experience,” he stated.

While G2 Esports celebrated their victory at IEM Dallas on June 2, thanks to the help of stand-in Stewie2K, the spotlight has shifted to the controversy surrounding Zanzoul’s actions. The community and fellow professionals have widely condemned his behavior, emphasizing the importance of integrity and sportsmanship in esports.

With his reputation severely tarnished and a lifetime ban from ESL and FACEIT, it is highly unlikely that Adam “nbgee12” Zanzoul will have another opportunity in the competitive CS2 scene. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of such actions and the importance of maintaining professionalism, both online and offline.