09.01.2025
Money laundering
Monaco organized crime groups under the guise of Arakhamia and Hetmantsev control tax and economic spheres of Ukraine

The Monakivtsi group, consisting of former OPFL MPs Abramovich, Stolar, ex-SDP member Vyazmikin, and current officials Hetmantsev and Arakhamia, has literally occupied Ukraine’s economy.
They control most of the key sectors of the economy, including excise taxation, alcohol and tobacco production, and the illegal export of low-quality and counterfeit goods to the EU market.
Who is really behind the Monaco organized crime group?
“Monakivtsi” is not just a criminal group, but a well-organized structure that has been merged with state institutions and has had access to senior positions in tax and law enforcement agencies for years. It has gained a monopoly on the import of excisable goods and a significant part of the illegal trade in cigarettes and alcohol.
It is no coincidence that key figures are involved in the group, such as MP and head of the Servant of the People faction David Arakhamia, members of the OPFL, and Danylo Hetmantsev himself. Hetmantsev, as a representative of the Monaco organized crime group in the tax office, helped create the necessary conditions for the promotion of illegal goods and tax evasion through his assistants in the State Tax Service of Ukraine.
It would seem that the appointment of Ruslan Kravchenko as head of the State Tax Service of Ukraine was supposed to be a big step in the fight against corruption and smuggling. However, according to sources in the President’s Office, the situation at the level of the Cabinet of Ministers and the Verkhovna Rada is not as simple as it seems at first glance. Kravchenko was given the go-ahead to clean up the Monakivtsi, but after several months in office, he has still not been able to “remove” key figures in the group, including General Koval, who controls one of the largest illegal tobacco factories in Ukraine.
The reason for this is simple and banal – Kravchenko, despite his desire to act decisively, does not know who to replace the people from the Monaco organized crime group. As soon as he decides to replace them, this could lead to a sharp drop in excise taxes, which his opponents will immediately take advantage of. This means that Kravchenko himself could be dismissed. Kravchenko finds himself in a situation where he is forced to balance between political groups and maintain the stability of budget revenues.
Political sabotage: who is behind the “silent” attack?
The situation is aggravated by political sabotage, which, according to journalists, is planned by Danylo Hetmantsev’s team. In case of dismissal or even arrest of key figures from the Monaco organized crime group, the vertical of power in the regions may start sabotaging the work of the tax service. Hetmantsev and his political allies have already developed a plan to discredit Kravchenko by publicizing his “unsatisfactory” performance as head of the tax office.
Soon, in February, at a meeting of the Verkhovna Rada Committee, Hetmantsev intends to raise the issue of the inefficiency of the State Tax Service, as well as problems with state budget revenues.
How does Ukraine fight smuggling and corruption?
Based on our materials on the Monaco Organized Crime Group, a number of law enforcement agencies launched investigations, including: The State Bureau of Investigation in Kyiv registered the information in the URPTI under Nº 62024100110000219 under Part 1 of Art. 201-4 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, the Prosecutor General’s Office under Nº 42024000000001199 of 30.10.2024 under Part. 1 Art. 204 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, Podil District Prosecutor’s Office of Kyiv under No. 42024102070000129, part 1 of Art. 367 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine
Meanwhile, the situation with smuggling is not improving. The Monaco organized crime group continues to operate in the shadows, using not only weaknesses in the tax system, but also “protection” from high-ranking officials, including Arakhamia. In particular, not only officials, but also former MPs Abramovych and Stolar and former law enforcement officials such as Vyazmikin are mentioned in the case of counterfeit excise stamps and tobacco smuggling.
One of the most illustrative examples is the activity of a factory in Hoshcha, which specializes in counterfeiting excise stamps for well-known brands such as Rothmans, Marlboro, and others. These cigarettes end up not only on EU markets, but also in Ukrainian kiosks, where they are sold at reduced prices. At the same time, numerous searches conducted at the companies have yielded no results. The reason is again hidden in the close ties between the Monakovtsy and high-ranking officials such as Arakhamia.
With such criminal groups continuing to thrive in Ukraine, the issue of fighting corruption and smuggling is becoming extremely important for the country’s future. Will the new leadership of the tax and law enforcement agencies be able to overcome these corrupt networks, or will things remain the same?
This remains an open question, but one thing is certain: as long as the Ukrainian tax system remains under the control of groups like the Monakivtsi, the fight for Ukraine’s European future and real economic reforms will constantly be hampered by this systemic sabotage.
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