S8UL Co-Founder Thug Accused of Financial Misconduct

Indian gaming creator Kaashvi "Kaash Plays" Hiranandani has filed a police complaint in Mumbai against Animesh "Thug" Agarwal, alleging financial misconduct on brand deals managed during her time at the S8UL content group.

Hiranandani disclosed the first information report, or FIR, in a YouTube video titled "How I Got Scammed by 8bit Thug," published July 16, 2026. The FIR was filed at Santacruz Police Station and the matter is under investigation.

Hiranandani left a finance job in 2022 to join 8Bit Creatives and S8UL. The two are distinct entities within India's gaming ecosystem. S8UL runs esports and gaming content; 8Bit Creatives handles creator and talent management. Agarwal is CEO of 8Bit Creatives and a co-founder of S8UL. Hiranandani's allegations relate specifically to brand deals handled by Agarwal.

What Kaashvi has alleged against 8Bit Thug

Hiranandani alleged that the disclosed value of some brand deals was lower than the actual value before management commissions were applied. That, she said, left her with less money than her agreement entitled her to.

She used a hypothetical INR 1 lakh deal to illustrate the claim. At a 30% commission, the agency would take INR 30,000 and the creator INR 70,000 before other deductions. If the same deal were reported as worth INR 60,000, another 30% cut would leave the creator with INR 42,000. Hiranandani said the figures were illustrative.

She said the practice occurred on multiple deals, and that she personally paid for studio time, editing, videography, actors and production.

How S8UL co-founder Mortal responded to Kaashvi's concerns

Hiranandani said she initially avoided confronting Agarwal. She was new to the gaming industry and uncomfortable with direct confrontation.

She later approached Naman "Mortal" Mathur, co-founder and chief marketing officer of S8UL Esports. According to Hiranandani, Mathur reviewed financial records and confirmed the discrepancies. He offered to raise the matter with Agarwal, but she asked him to keep the conversation private. Mathur has not publicly corroborated her account.

The discrepancies continued, Hiranandani said. She approached Agarwal directly and pressed him for an explanation over several months. After repeated delays, she alleged, he responded, "How dare you ask me?"

Seven months after first raising her concerns, Hiranandani said she wrote to Agarwal by email with her lawyer copied. She said she received no reply.

She also alleged that after her association with the company ended, a brand mistakenly transferred a payment owed to her to Agarwal, and that the money has not been passed on to her for eight to nine months.

Kaashvi's FIR against 8Bit Thug and what happens next

Hiranandani thanked Mumbai Police and the officials handling her complaint. She also said she has found evidence suggesting other creators may have faced similar issues, but did not name them. She urged creators to demand clearer visibility into brand communications, contracts and payments. "You deserve transparency," she said.

Outlook Respawn has contacted S8UL and Agarwal for comment and will update this article with their responses when we receive them. The dispute has drawn fresh scrutiny of financial transparency between Indian gaming creators and the agencies that manage their commercial deals.