PoE Sanity

PoE, TFT, and RMT: The Final Chapter

By BeltonWatch videoDuration: PT15M44S

Summary

  • The permanent ban of Januibu (formerly Varga), the head of The Forbidden Trove (TFT), following years of community controversy.
  • A history of the conflict between Belton and TFT, centered on allegations of Real Money Trading (RMT), market monopolies, and power abuse.
  • Personal and professional repercussions faced by Belton during this feud, including hacking, platform demonetization, and social media defamation.
  • An apology from Belton regarding his past caustic behavior and a commitment to a more positive community presence.
  • The distribution of mirror-tier items to the Path of Exile 1 community to help fill the market gap left by TFT’s potential shutdown.

The Permanent Ban of Januibu

Januibu, the leader of The Forbidden Trove (TFT), has been permanently banned from Path of Exile. This marks the conclusion of a situation that has impacted the community for approximately four years. While some may view this as a personal victory, it represents the enforcement of game rules that apply to everyone, regardless of their scale or influence within the economy.

Historical Context: Belton vs. The Forbidden Trove

The conflict between Belton and TFT escalated significantly from 2023 through 2026. The core issues involved:

  • TFT’s Infrastructure: A Discord server with hundreds of thousands of members used for bulk trading, mirror-tier services, and high-end crafting. Critics viewed it as a de facto monopoly that manipulated the high-end economy.
  • Allegations of RMT: Belton released several investigative videos claiming TFT staff and high-profile members were involved in real-money trading.
  • Retaliation: TFT responded by mass-banning Belton, his Discord members (approximately 9,000 people), and viewers who participated in his community.
  • Subreddit Conflict: Allegations surfaced that TFT moderators also moderated the Path of Exile subreddit, leading to Belton’s ban from that platform. These claims were later validated when a moderator stepped down after their dual roles were exposed.

Evidence of Systemic RMT

Over the past several years, multiple videos were produced to document illicit activities within TFT:

  • “TFT, RMT, and GGG” & “Proof that TFT is RMTing”: These videos detailed how incentive structures fueled a shadow economy.
  • API Tracking: An Obsidian-based program was used to track the Path of Exile API over a six-month period. This effort analyzed over 10 million correlations to create a heat map showing banned accounts and the flow of RMT through the trade system.
  • “The Trial of The Forbidden Trove”: A compilation of evidence that many in the community considered irrefutable.

Personal Repercussions and Retaliation

The feud resulted in significant personal and financial stress over a four-year period:

  • Twitch Issues: I faced multiple suspensions and a year-long demonetization, which was only reinstated five days ago.
  • Hacking and Defamation: My emails were compromised, leading to the creation of fake social media accounts. Hackers used these accounts to post illegal content (child exploitation material) in an attempt to destroy my reputation and trigger permanent platform bans.
  • Community Perception: TFT would occasionally broadcast “news alerts” to over 700,000 people labeling me as racist, sexist, or homophobic. Notably, they never accused me of lying about the RMT evidence.

Refutation of Claims and Personal Apology

Despite the toxicity of the situation, I remain committed to the game:

  1. Account Standing: My Path of Exile account is nearly 13 years old—three years older than Januibu’s—and has never been banned.
  2. Playtime: I have logged 30,457 hours in Path of Exile without ever engaging in RMT.
  3. Behavioral Reflection: I acknowledge that the stress of this conflict made me a more cynical and abrasive person. I apologize to anyone I have treated rudely or crassly. Being targeted by a massive organization while knowing the truth was a difficult position to navigate.

Moving Forward: Community Support and PoE 2

With Januibu banned and TFT’s future uncertain, there is a significant gap in the high-end market.

  • Mirror Item Distribution: I have logged into Path of Exile 1 for the first time in over a year to make my collection of mirror-tier items available to the community in Standard league.
  • Market Assistance: I have located thousands of high-value items (e.g., “That Which Was Taken” and “Vultures”) and will make them available to help fill the void left by TFT’s absence.
  • Future Focus: While I will maintain a presence in Path of Exile 1 to assist with the market transition, my primary interest now lies in Path of Exile 2.

This development is a positive step for the health of the game and a turning point for my content.

Key References