Prodigy SEG CEO Jérôme Coupez has accused Karmine Corp of “several hundred thousand euros” in unpaid wages owed to Rocket League stars Axel ‘Vatira’ Touret and Tristan ‘Atow.’ Soyez.
The talent agency boss managing the Karmine Corp pair posted the statement following a stream in which Karmine Corp co-founder Kamel ‘Kameto’ Kebir admitted to unpaid wages owed to the pair, but claimed the issue was resolved.
Kameto claims that Atow. and Vatira wages were paid on stream
The statement came as part of the ongoing fallout over the potential creation of a historic Rocket League superteam. Karmine Corp players Atow. and Vatira are widely understood to be targeting a lineup which would unite the pair with Team Vitality’s Alexis ‘zen’ Bernier.
zen and Atow. are long-term teammates in 2v2, winning the RLCS World Championship 2026 2v2 tournament under the team name, ‘No Miss Just Fake.’
The French and Belgian roster would be one of the most talented assembled rosters in Rocket League history, and as such the trio has reportedly had several suitors, including AG.AL and all three of the major French esports organizations: Karmine Corp, Vitality, and Gentle Mates.
While Karmine Corp have two of the players under contract, those contracts are set to end in January. Nonetheless, the community largely felt KC would have an advantage in bagging the trio, due to Vatira and Atow.’s history with the org.
However, a report by Sheep Esports noted that “sources indicate that ongoing delays in salary payments have also been a factor in the players’ decision to pursue opportunities elsewhere.”
Kameto addressed that allegation on stream, stating that payments had been missed, but claimed that they were since paid, and that the organization had cleared roughly €5 million of debt after financially recovering from recent struggles.
Atow. and Vatira agent disputes Karmine Corp wage situation
The claim that the Rocket League payments had been remediated prompted a rebuke by player agent Jérôme Coupez, who claimed, “To date, several hundred thousand euros remain unpaid, without a precise response or concrete regularization plan,” clarifying that “it is not a matter of ‘bonuses.'” Coupez later clarified that the amount owed exceeded €300,000.
The player agent then confirmed that the unpaid wages did affect the players’ renegotiations with the org, stating, “Payment issues and conditions were the main subject of discussions with the organization regarding a potential extension.”
The agent added, “Under these conditions, it seems legitimate that these uncertainties were taken into account in the discussions regarding the future. At no point was it indicated that, for similar offers, the extension project would be prioritized.”
Kameto also claimed during the stream that KC’s offer to the players as part of the negotiations was €23,000 per month per player, and that Gentle Mates exceeded that amount significantly, equating the Gentle Mates amount to €28,000 per month before bonuses.
While Sheep Esports has reported that the players want to join Gentle Mates, it claims that buyout negotiations are still to take place, leaving it unclear whether the team will be in place for December’s Kick-Off Weekend in December.
Do you think the deal will get done in time? Let us know your thoughts on the Insider Gaming Discord server.
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Darragh is an Esports Journalist for Insider Gaming specialising in Counter-Strike. He loves to explore how esports teams work, or why they very often do not.
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