TSM Founder Under Investigation From Riot Games Over Bullying Accusations

TSM's Founder Andy "Reginald" Dinh is being investigated by Riot Games after accusations of verbal abuse and bullying have come to light. The organisation, which operates in both Riot Games' titles, League of Legends and VALORANT, is now taking part in an investigation from the developers amid "claims of misconduct" which go against the standard league process.

Dinh launched TSM (now TSMFTX after a $210 million naming rights deal in June) back in 2009, originally named Team SoloMid, and have become a household name within esports, specifically in League of Legends. The American organisation has won seven LCS regional splits since 2013, including the Summer Split in 2020, although previous players have now spoken out about "bullying" throughout spells on the roster and other areas of the org.

According to a report from WIRED, Riot Games has now contacted the legal firm "O'Melveny & Myers LLP" in order to "conduct an independent investigation into claims of misconduct made against the leader of this team, in accordance with standard league process."

It's not the first time these accusations have come to light either, as former TSM League of Legends veteran, and now stakeholder, Yiliang "Doublelift" Peng publically labelled the CEO as a bully on a live stream back in November. 

WIRED's report also details four individuals who operated under the TSM banner, who claimed that Dinh was verbally abusive and would often scream at "stupid" or "worthless" players, in person and over the phone.

Dinh also admitted to WIRED via email that his "vocabulary was at times too harsh and ineffective," which is a result of the "exceedingly high expectations for myself."

Riot Games and Dinh have not shed any further light on the specific investigation.