30.03.2025 Cybercrimes

The corrupt octopus of servants laundering billions from Russian illegal business

Despite the war and sanctions, Ukraine is still a battlefield with internal schemes that feed Russian business. PariMatch, Ayboks Bank, Leo Gaming, cryptocurrency transactions, and media pressure are all intertwined in one big web involving well-known names, law enforcement officials, and even the media.

Chronology: How it all started and where it went

On March 11, 2023, Ukraine imposed sanctions on a number of companies associated with the aggressor country. The legal entities include Russian betting companies, lottery organizers, etc: Sportbet, Betscity, Matchbet, Pari Bet, Marathon, Olympus, SportBet, F.O.N., Fortuna, etc. As well as Ukrainian companies, including Parimatch, PokerMatch.UA, Pointlotto, Leo Financial Company, and Your Betting Company (which planned to operate under the 1XBet brand).

Later, the Cypriot company Whiplay Media Holding Limited, which owns the PariMatch trademark, filed an administrative lawsuit against President Zelenskyy with the Supreme Court demanding that the sanctions decree be declared illegal and invalid.

During this time, PariMatch managed to create a dozen clone bookmakers that use the same identity and marketing techniques of their predecessor and, most importantly, operate without a license. This means that they do not pay taxes, ignore sanctions, and easily withdraw money earned by defrauding Ukrainians to offshore accounts.

The worst thing about this situation is that Ukrainian law enforcement agencies do not react to the cases. In response to our materials, we receive similar letters from the SBI and the BES, which state that there are “no actual circumstances of the crime” or “no possibility to establish authorship” despite the CEP and the attached documents confirming the authority.

Another aspect worth paying attention to is the international search for Alyona Degrik-Shevtsova, the main lobbyist for PariMatch and illegal casinos in Ukraine. For years, Ayboks Bank, controlled by her and Ihor Kolomoisky, has been helping to legalize millions earned in the gambling business. Moreover, Ayboks terminals helped to quickly make transactions to accounts without unnecessary questions and monitoring.

Now, the NBU has revoked the license for Ayboks Bank, the National Security and Defense Council has imposed sanctions on FC Leo Degryk, and the businesswoman herself is on the international wanted list. Although the TU BES in Lviv region, in cooperation with the Lychakiv District Court of Lviv, tried several times to initiate the process of canceling the suspicion and putting the woman on the wanted list through procedural abuse. Thanks to the media coverage, the case was not hushed up. Moreover, we even received a response from the Prosecutor General’s Office, which changed the jurisdiction in the case, having recorded the manipulations of judges.

In retaliation for the coverage of the case, Degryk-Shevtsova also resorted to buying media attacks on the main witness in the case, banker Petro Melnyk, as well as on us, the activists who disagreed. Dozens of telegram channels and dumping sites began publishing similar articles that allegedly “exposed” us to media attacks and thus whitewashed the “victims” PariMatch and Degryk.

Insider UA, UNIAN, Ukraine Online, Vsevydyaschee Oko, and Advocate of Law have confirmed their priority of enrichment over verification of information. And also

“Ukraine Now”, owned by Dnipro MP and fraudster Mishalov. We have sent a complaint to the list of publications regarding the dissemination of PII and the receipt of funds for the publication of humiliating and untrue information. We demand to check the activities of such publications and pay special attention to the crypto wallets involved, which are used for tax-exempt payments, a list of which we have also provided.

Interestingly, UNIAN has come up with an even more cunning scheme. They don’t accept crypto payments, but they urge you to pay for advertising through a special form on the website. According to this form, all transferred funds are charitable assistance to the project. Interesting, isn’t it?

In addition to media pressure, Degryk also engaged PariMatch’s controlled contractors to legally intimidate us. As a result, we receive letters from lawyers representing one of the bookmaker’s proxy companies demanding explanations and threatening to take the case to court. However, we can reassure the lawyers: the materials are already on the desks of law enforcement officers and judges. Therefore, there is no point in worrying.

Thus, despite a number of criminal proceedings (TU BES in Lviv region – № 72023000500000071, BES № 72022000400000003 under part 3 of Article 212, part 2 of Article 203-2, part 2 of Article 229, part 1 and part 3 of Article 209 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, Lviv Regional Prosecutor’s Office № 7202314000500000071), international wanted list and sanctions, Degrik-Shevtsova continues to control the gambling market with Russian origin inside Ukraine. Moreover, it is not only our law enforcement officers from the BES and the SBI that play into the hands of the Russians, but also the NBU, the State Financial Monitoring Service, and the tax authorities.

I wonder if the situation will change when the successor to KRAIL, SE Play City, starts working under the leadership of Mykhailo Fedorov. Especially given the appetites of the minister himself and his ties to money laundering through WhiteBit and Diia? Read more in our investigation at the link in the comments.

Did you witness a crime?

Let us know about it. We will help protect the violated rights!

Share the post:

Last news

ALL NEWS ALL ARTICLES