As fervent as its in-game rivalries can get, the fighting game community is a diverse space that frequently bands together to support members in their time of need. So upon hearing the news that a longtime member, Ludovic Mbock, had been taken in by ICE, players from across the globe quickly banded together in a fierce show of condemnation for the government agency and support for their comrade-in-fisticuffs.
Based out of Maryland, Ludovic has been known in the fighting game community since the era of competitive Street Fighter IV. While his primary focus is on on Street Fighter VI, he also plays competitively in Tekken, The King of Fighters, and Melty Blood: Type Lumina. Ludovic was sponsored by The Hiero Group, an esports community organization based out of the Washington D.C./Maryland/Virginia (DMV) area.
“Lud has been in the FGC for as long as I can remember, dating back to the Street Fighter IV days, and a constant presence at both large events and locals,” says Ref54, a longtime friend of Ludovic who asked that we use his online handle. “He’s always been a friendly face in the community, always down to chat and play with folks. He forged some real tight bonds within the community, never heard a bad word about him.”
As such a well-regarded community member, his friends and teammates were in shock to hear that he was in ICE custody. “I found out yesterday around 5PM EST via Discord,” Ref54 continues. “Word was starting to spread via Discords for the local FGC.”
His friends would not take this sitting down, and immediately leapt into action, setting up a GoFundMe to help Ludovic retain legal representation.
Ludovic from THG was detained by ICE, and right now he needs us. He’s more than a teammate — he’s family.
We’ve set up a support link to help with legal fees and support during this time. If you can donate, please do. If not, please share.https://t.co/TCsTnq6ihy #FreeLudovic— THG|Say-Co (@Sayco_DMV) February 18, 2026
At the time of writing, the GoFundMe has raised over $55,000. An update was posted on 10 AM ET on February 19 detailing the current situation: “A habeas corpus petition was filed on 2/19 and a judge signed it, meaning the court is now requiring the government to justify Ludovic’s detention. In addition, a G28 form was submitted so his lawyers will be officially notified of any movement on his case.”
“Being able to quickly obtain a lawyer and proceed with paperwork has made a huge difference for Ludovic,” it adds.
We have reached out to The Hiero Group for comment.
Image credit: Ludovic on X
