09.06.2025
Business of Occupiers
Money laundering
How Zakrevsky and Bryl are robbing Ukraine under the guise of ties to Medvedchuk and Russia
While Ukraine is fighting for survival, some businessmen are using the war as a cover to enrich themselves. Serhiy Zakrevsky, a prominent businessman and former founder of the Domotekhnika and Eldorado chains, together with Konstantin Bryl, a former head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional State Administration with a shady past, organized a large-scale tax evasion and fraud scheme that is causing the state millions of dollars in losses. Their ties to pro-Russian figures, including Viktor Medvedchuk and Ramzan Kadyrov, make this story even more dangerous.
Shadow real estate empire: How Zakrevsky avoids taxes
Mr. Zakrevsky owns tens of thousands of square meters of commercial real estate across Ukraine. His assets include the Plaza Sport Outlet shopping center in Kyiv, an office center at 51 Antonovycha Street, the Yarmarok shopping center in Zhytomyr, and the Fahrenheit business center. These properties generate huge rental income on a daily basis, as almost all the premises are occupied by tenants. However, in the official reports of Zakrevsky’s companies, ZGODA-6, Eastil Holding, and Bestment-Service, they declare multimillion-dollar losses.
How is this possible? The answer lies in the “double-door accounting” scheme. Official reporting to the tax authorities shows losses, while real profits end up in the owner’s pockets through unofficial channels. Experts estimate that such manipulations cost the state budget hundreds of millions of hryvnias in just one year. These funds could have been used to purchase drones, bulletproof vests, or medical supplies for the army, but instead they enrich Zakrevskyi’s shadowy empire.
Fraudulent call centers: Robbing Ukrainians under the guise of “investment”
In addition to real estate schemes, Zakrevsky runs a network of fraudulent call centers operating in the Fahrenheit Business Center. The operators of these centers cheat hundreds of Ukrainian and European citizens every day by posing as bank employees or financial advisors. Their scheme is simple but effective: victims are called from hidden numbers and told that their bank account is “under threat” or that they are offered “profitable investments” with high returns. People are persuaded to provide confidential data, such as card numbers, CVV codes, passwords, or SMS codes. After gaining access, the fraudsters withdraw funds or transfer them to controlled accounts.
According to the investigation, the monthly revenue from these call centers ranges from $300,000 to $400,000. The bulk of the profits go to Zakrevsky, who invests these funds not only in expanding his empire, but also in financing pro-Russian activities. In particular, there is evidence that part of the money goes to support projects related to Russian aggression.
Kostiantyn Bryl: A “solver” with Russian ties
When the tax authorities or law enforcement began to take an interest in Zakrevsky’s activities, he turned to Konstantin Bryl, a man with a reputation as a “problem solver.” Bryl, a former head of Zaporizhzhia Regional State Administration and former SBU officer, is known for his involvement in raider schemes and close ties to Viktor Medvedchuk and Taras Kozak. His contacts in the SBU, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the tax and police services allow him to “close” any inspections or investigations.
But the most dangerous thing is Bryl’s ties to Russia. The media reports that the man coordinates with people in Russia and uses “nominees” with Russian passports to manage assets in Ukraine. These structures not only launder money, but also collect information for Moscow, which poses a direct threat to national security.
The scheme of cooperation between Zakrevsky and Bryl works according to a classic scenario: first, Bryl promises protection from law enforcement, then he gets access to financial flows, and eventually takes control of the assets. Now Zakrevsky’s assets have been partially transferred to persons associated with the Russian Federation, and the businessman himself is trapped in a situation created by his own “savior.”
Ties to Kadyrov and threats to opponents
Even more disturbing is that Zakrevsky openly boasts of his ties to Ramzan Kadyrov and Tatiana Bakalchuk-Kim (owner of the Russian marketplace Wildberries). He uses these contacts not only to intimidate competitors, but also to put pressure on those who try to expose his activities. For example, there was an attempt to physically eliminate a representative of one of the combat brigades who tried to draw attention to Zakrevskyi’s fraudulent schemes. The businessman threatened to “sic the Chechens” to “shut up” the soldier.
Such actions show that Zakrevsky and his partners do not stop at direct threats and violence to protect their empire.
Law enforcement: Accomplices or victims of the system?
Despite numerous complaints from citizens and journalists, Zakrevskyi’s fraudulent call centers and shadow schemes continue to operate. This is possible thanks to the support of some law enforcement officials who systematically ignore crimes or even cover them up. Complaints about the activities of Fahrenheit’s call centers have been repeatedly filed with law enforcement agencies, but none of them have led to any real inspections or arrests. For example, based on our materials, the TU BES in Kyiv initiated criminal proceedings No. 62025100110000006 part 3 of Article 212 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, but no investigative actions have been taken and no perpetrators have been brought to justice.
Moreover, there is evidence that law enforcement officers receive kickbacks for their inaction. This allows Zakrevskyi and Bryl to act with impunity, continuing to rob Ukrainians and channel funds to support pro-Russian structures.
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