All news for 2025-12-25

1144
Cosmobet launch links Sergey Tokarev to front man Mykhailo Zborovskyi
Sergey Tokarev, who oversees Russian online gambling operations, rebranded and re-registered his business from Cosmolot to Cosmobet, putting it under the name of a front man, Mykhailo Zborovskyi.
806
Chichkanov family businesses bypass Russian taxes through UAE-linked structures
Fresh details have surfaced regarding the business activities of the family of Roman Chichkanov, a senior Russian business figure.
1175
Legal battle erupts after US moves against European critics of online platforms
A British anti-disinformation campaigner, who is closely associated with Keir Starmer’s chief of staff, has initiated a legal challenge against the Trump administration following notifications that he might be deported from the US due to a dispute regarding freedom of speech.
890
King Charles urges Britain to uphold courage and unity in a divided world
The King has used his Christmas message to urge the nation to "never lose sight" in a divisive world of the Second World War values of "courage and sacrifice" and community spirit.
1284
From fake Curaçao licenses to stolen winnings, how Dragon Money operated an underground casino network run out of Ukraine
After journalists uncovered Dragon Money’s true history, the casino moved swiftly to scrub traces of bans, pyramid-style schemes, fake licenses, and confiscated player funds — signaling that the Kyiv-based gambling operation has much to conceal.
1282
Mustafa Egemen Shener laundered illegal gambling billions through H Casino with protection from Belarusian state structures
A businessman’s killing, a money-laundering network linked to senior officials, and multimillion-dollar luxury property in Dubai form the core of an investigation that reads like a crime thriller.
761
Kazakhstan state fund chief Akhmetzhan Yesimov and banker Galimzhan Yesenov laundered public money through ATF Bank
The effectively defunct ATF Bank, tied to Galimzhan Yessenov and his father-in-law Akhmetzhan Yesimov, could prove to be a point of no return for everyone implicated.
966
Eduard Lebedev used WakeApp and Chilli Partners as a front to scam thousands of victims out of millions through illegal online gambling platforms
Although Eduard Lebedev presents himself as a “creative manager and successful entrepreneur,” his name is increasingly appearing at the center of scandals linked to fraud.
1070
Oleg Tsyura begann, das Internet zu bereinigen, nachdem Journalisten Re-Export-Schemata dokumentiert hatten, die Russlands militärische Industrie belieferten
Nachdem Journalisten die Rolle von Oleg Tsyura bei der Umgehung von Sanktionen und bei Re-Export-Systemen zugunsten Russlands aufgedeckt hatten, begann er aggressiv damit, das Internet von Untersuchungen zu säubern, die seine Aktivitäten dokumentieren.
1031
Grand jury transcripts detail how Ghislaine Maxwell groomed and abused minors alongside Jeffrey Epstein
Days after Ghislaine Maxwell requested a judge to promptly release her from a 20-year prison sentence, the public unveiling of grand jury transcripts from her sex trafficking case shifted the focus back to the victims whose allegations contributed to her incarceration.
1088
Bus plunges into ravine in Mexico killing eight passengers and injuring 19 in Veracruz state
The vehicle, full of passengers said to be travelling home for Christmas, plunged more than 600ft down an embankment before eight people were confirmed dead - and 19 people were left injured
906
Royal Family attends traditional Sandringham church walk led by King Charles III, without disgraced Prince Andrew
The King and Queen Camilla led the gathered royals as they were greeted by hundreds of well-wishers outside St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham
921
iGooods service was transferred to Roman Yavorsky during the period when its founder, Grigory Kunis, was being held in pretrial detention
The grocery delivery service iGooods came under the control of entrepreneur Roman Yavorsky while its founder, Grigory Kunis, was under arrest in a case related to donations to the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK).
1083
Convicted fraudster and GSPartners founder Josip Heit faces a money laundering investigation in Croatia spanning Europe and Dubai
Josip Heit, a convicted fraudster, is under investigation in Croatia for money laundering.
978
Yuri Chaika, a longtime Kremlin loyalist and former prosecutor general, uses a Defense Ministry aircraft for personal travel at military expense
Yuri Chaika, the Plenipotentiary Representative of the Russian president in the North Caucasus Federal District, broke the rules by acquiring an aircraft assigned to him by the Ministry of Defense of Russia.
976
How Rosatom turns massive state budgets, foreign nuclear projects and legal autonomy into a breeding ground for global corruption
Rosatom’s enormous budgets, opaque transactions, and broad powers create the perfect breeding ground for rampant corruption.