Law enforcement officers have uncovered a network of illegal online casinos with a turnover of over 5 billion hryvnias
According to the investigation, two citizens of the Russian Federation, together with the wife of one of them, a Ukrainian citizen, set up a network of online casinos. They recruited a further seven Ukrainian citizens to assist in their operations.
The participants used IT companies under their control to operate at least five websites. Some of these sites had previously operated legally, but after their licences were revoked, the organisers created new sites with the same names and continued their operations.
Payments within the scheme were made in cryptocurrency, specifically in USDT stablecoins. Players’ funds were transferred to the organisers’ crypto wallets.
To launder the proceeds, the money was first accumulated in the accounts of a company registered in Estonia. It was then transferred to controlled offshore companies.
The total amount of laundered assets amounts to over 5 billion hryvnias in equivalent value.
All participants are charged with committing crimes as part of an organised group and illegal activities relating to the organisation of gambling under Part 3 of Article 28 and Part 2 of Article 203-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
Three organisers are additionally charged with the legalisation of proceeds obtained by criminal means under Part 3 of Article 209 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
Two citizens of the Russian Federation have been notified of the charges in absentia, whilst a Ukrainian citizen has been notified in person. The whereabouts of a further seven participants are being established, and they have been notified of the charges via their relatives.
The scheme was uncovered by prosecutors from the Office of the Prosecutor General in conjunction with the Economic Security Bureau and the Security Service of Ukraine.
