Fortnite player fined $175,000 and permanently banned after Epic Games lawsuit

Epic Games has won a significant legal battle against a Fortnite player accused of using cheating software and hardware during a competitive tournament.

On June 25, 2025, a judge ruled in favor of Epic after the defendant failed to respond to the lawsuit, ordering the player to pay $175,000 in damages. The funds will be donated to charity, as confirmed by the company.

The lawsuit was originally filed on December 18, 2024, after the cheater was caught exploiting Fortnite’s systems during a competitive event. According to Epic Games, the player used multiple accounts and advanced cheating tools in an attempt to avoid detection but was ultimately exposed by their anti-cheat measures.

“Cheating has no place in Fortnite and we’re doing everything we can to stop it, including legal action,” Epic said in an earlier statement. The ruling not only imposes a financial penalty but also enforces a lifetime ban on the player from Fortnite.

“The judge ruled in our favor after the cheater ignored our lawsuit,” Epic said in a public statement. “The player is required to pay $175,000, and we’ll donate what we collect to charity.”

The gaming community has largely praised the decision, calling it a strong deterrent for future cheaters in competitive gaming. Content creator NickEh30 and gaming news outlet ModernWarzone both shared support on social media.

This marks another instance of Epic Games leveraging the legal system to uphold competitive integrity. In a similar case earlier this year, another player was banned and had their prize money redirected to charity after cheating in the 2023 Fortnite Championship Grand Finals.