According to Jiji Press, Hasegawa and six other men held a man in his thirties captive from January 29 to April 30, 2025. The victim was moved between different locations, where he was subjected to brutal torture.
Investigators report that the victim was scalded with boiling water, struck with a hammer, stabbed with a screwdriver, and burned with a frying pan. All of this was recorded, and the videos were shared with unidentified recipients. The victim sustained severe injuries — broken ribs, pelvic damage, and severe burns.
The story came to light after the group’s alleged ringleader, Yuto Oshiro, was involved in a car accident and fled the scene, leaving the victim behind.
What is particularly shocking is that in February, Hasegawa competed at the Six Invitational tournament in Boston, where he was named MVP of the first day. It is currently unknown how deeply involved he was, but the timeline shows that he could have been participating in both the tournament and the crime simultaneously.
CAG Osaka, whose roster he had been on since 2019, terminated his contract and withdrew from the APAC North 2025 playoffs, missing out on a chance to participate in the Esports World Cup. The team has not yet commented on the allegations.
***
Cover author: Liquipedia. Cover source: Liquipedia