Bymas: Monte owes tens of thousands in unpaid pay

Aurimas ‘Bymas’ Pipiras posted on X that Monte has not paid ‘tens of thousands of dollars’ in missed salary, prize money, bonuses and his share of the team’s sticker revenue from the ongoing IEM Cologne Major sale. He left the organisation in early July after about a year and signed with Luminosity.

Bymas wrote that multiple former players and the coach are ‘also still owed substantial amounts, to my knowledge,’ and described payment delays as a recurring problem that eroded trust. He added that re-signing would have required committing ‘to an organization we no longer trusted to consistently meet its financial obligations, with no guarantee that the same roster would even stay together long term.’

Minutes after Bymas’ post, Monte published a video featuring CEO Dmytro Vovk that criticised Bymas, Aurélien ‘afro’ Drapier and Oscar ‘AZUWU’ Bell and their agents for how they left to join Luminosity. The CEO suggested the players signed with Luminosity before informing Monte and teammate Jack ‘Gizmy’ von Spreckelsen while contract extension talks with Monte were still ongoing. The video did not mention the unpaid payments Bymas flagged.

The organisation also replied to Bymas’ social post, writing: ‘Good text. You can tell it was approved by the agent. A two-week delay in salary payments is, of course, incredibly critical and painful.’ The reply acknowledged a payroll delay but did not confirm the amounts Bymas alleges.

Other players named by the CEO have not publicly provided details of outstanding sums. Bymas did not publish an itemised breakdown of the amounts he says are owed. He and other players left for new opportunities around the IEM Cologne Major period.

Monte has been contacted for comment on the specific amounts Bymas claims and on whether the organisation recognises additional unpaid obligations.