In the world of Sentenced to Be a Hero, the penal hero unit is filled with murderers, terrorists, and thieves. But among the hardened criminals stands Venetim Leopool, a man whose “crime” seems almost comical.
A con man and political criminal, he wields immense influence — yet unlike protagonist Xylo Forbartz, he possesses no combat ability. He is nothing like Tsav either, who kills with raw, instinctual brutality.
So how did a physically weak swindler end up condemned to the same hellish fate as the goddess killer?
In this article, we will explore the background of the Sentenced to Be a Hero’s most infamous swindler — Venetim Leopool — and uncover the schemes that led him to attempt the sale of the royal castle itself.
Who is Venetim Leopool?
Venetim Leopool is the Commander of Penal Hero Unit 9004, a role he fulfills not through strength, but through deception and theatrics.
Before his sentencing, he was a notorious con artist and swindler known for his silver tongue and ability to forge almost any document.
Despite holding the title of “Commander,” he is physically the weakest member of the unit. He stands no chance of confronting the Demon Blight head-on.
Instead, he serves as the unit’s buffer against the military brass, using his lying skills to negotiate for better supplies, delay suicidal orders, and manipulate situations to keep his team alive.
Volume 4 of Sentenced to Be a Hero reveals Venetim’s true identity: Venetim Verkle, heir to the formidable Verkle family, which controls the kingdom’s largest arms manufacturer, the Verkle Development Corporation.
In the 2026 anime adaptation, Venetim is voiced by Makoto Furukawa in the Japanese voiceover and Ian Sinclair in the English dub.
What is Venetim Leopool’s official sentence?
Venetim’s “official sentence” stems from a crime so audacious It is almost unbelievable — he attempted to sell the Royal Castle to a traveling circus.
Armed with cunning rhetoric and flawless forged documents, he duped royalty and top officials alike — and was only moments from closing the deal when he was caught.
Venetim didn’t just sell a castle, he fabricated an entire fake organization called the “Modelis Corporation.” He stirred excitement, pulled in enormous investments from the Temple, and even Verkle Corp itself, and then let the whole venture disappear without a trace.
The fraud dealt a devastating blow to the Verkle Corporation’s finances. It was his own brother, Fidius, who uncovered the truth — that Venetim had orchestrated it all.
This act of “political criminality” and massive fraud was enough to earn him a spot in Penal Hero Unit 9004. However, like many things in Venetim’s life, this official story might just be the surface layer on top.
What was the true reason why Venetim Leopool was sentenced?
While his fraud was the public reason for his sentencing, the light novel volume 4 and 5 hint at a darker truth. Venetim was not just a con man, he was a journalist (or perhaps posed as one, who knows?) who stumbled upon secrets the government desperately wanted to hide.
Venetim uncovered a disturbing truth: the government and military had been deceiving the public about the war against the Demon Blight. He also learned of the “Coexisters” — a faction of humans, including high-ranking nobles, secretly colluding with the enemy to force a peace treaty.
To silence him, they sentenced him to be a “Hero.” This punishment served two purposes — by branding him a criminal and a liar, they ensured no one would believe his “conspiracy theories.” Secondly, assignment to the penal hero unit is effectively a death sentence, and they expected him to perish quickly on the front lines.
