A former world chess champion has claimed he is a victim after making unfounded cheating allegations against U.S. chess player Daniel Naroditsky, who recently passed away. Vladimir Kramnik, aged 50 and from Russia, mentioned he intends to speak with police in Charlotte, North Carolina, and hinted at possible legal actions against gaming officials accusing him of harassment related to Naroditsky’s death, which was announced on Monday.
From his residence in Switzerland, Kramnik expressed criticism towards chess authorities that have opened an investigation into alleged bullying against Naroditsky, the 29-year-old son of a Ukrainian Jewish father.
Kramnik referred to Naroditsky’s death as “tragic” and warned that there would be “legal consequences” for anyone asserting that he played a role in it.
“Unfortunately, what is happening now is just a continuation of a very dirty PR campaign that started against me two years ago,” he told the Post.
He recounted, “I have faced continuous defamation, along with severe insults, death threats against my family, and yes, I’ve received dozens of death threats just in the past couple of days.”
He also indicated plans to report this situation to Swiss authorities, seeking to bring action against those in the chess community who are blaming him for Naroditsky’s death.
Kramnik has faced multiple suspensions from Chess.com, the prominent online chess platform, for allegedly promoting what the platform described as unfounded conspiracy theories against other players.
In recent years, he has accused Naroditsky and others of cheating in online games using advanced software that can execute numerous moves at once to secure victories.
Following the distressing news on Monday, Kramnik faced heavy criticism from peers in the chess community, including grandmaster Nihal Sarin, who suggested Kramnik “literally took his life.”
Despite this backlash, Kramnik insisted he was the one looking out for Naroditsky. “The day before his death, I was the only person who saw him and sensed he needed help. There was clearly something wrong,” he said.
He added, “Maybe he was under some influence, but, clearly, something was very off. And now, I’m being blamed for it. I was alerting those around me, ‘You need to step in.'” Kramnik further noted that the official cause of Naroditsky’s death hasn’t been released yet. He was discovered unresponsive on a couch in his apartment by chess club officials.
Authorities are investigating his death as a possible suicide or overdose, according to a report from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.
Kramnik’s defense team, meanwhile, plans to collaborate with police. “I would urge the investigation to continue,” he remarked, describing the situation as “really bizarre.” He brought attention to the deletion of all videos from Naroditsky’s Twitch channel shortly before his death.
Kramnik stated he has contacted his lawyer to request a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding Naroditsky’s final days, emphasizing the need to understand the rapid decline in his condition.
Naroditsky appeared disoriented and incoherent in his last Twitch stream, where he addressed Kramnik’s unfounded claims.
“Since the Kramnik incident, it feels like every time I perform well, people suspect me of having malicious intentions,” Naroditsky discussed in a video recorded early on October 17.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department has not yet provided a comment regarding the ongoing investigation.
