Investigation

1861
Luxury during the war: How Ukrainians buy luxury cars for tens of millions of hryvnias
By the conclusion of the third year of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, numerous Ukrainians are feeling an increasing sense of dissonance. While Ukrainian soldiers are daily calling for assistance in buying vehicles for combat missions, a growing number of ultra-expensive cars...
837
Golden needles, fake patents, and loud self-promotion: the business model of Dr. Mariyat Mukhina
In an era when information is accessible to everyone, it is surprising that people continue to give their money to scammers and allow them to cause harm. A case in point is "doctor" Mariyat Mukhina, about whom even a superficial internet search warns about the need to avoid her clinic.
1007
Andrew Tate collaborated in casinos with suspected Romanian organized crime figures
Recent documents revealed by reporters indicate that Andrew and Tristan Tate participated in a profit-sharing agreement with a casino company whose owners are currently under investigation for establishing a violent organized crime group.
735
From the Barents Sea to the Thames: Who is responsible for Russian fish exports to Europe?
To which European countries did the largest fishing companies in the Northwest of Russia sell their goods, and who bought them? While Russians are horrified by rising prices, Chronicles.Media has studied the fishing market.
681
Andriy Matyukha’s Favbet company leaks military data and helps the Kremlin finance aggression through gambling in Ukraine
Andriy Matyukha, who gifted his casino Favbet to his son Dmytro, still has connections with Russia. The player databases are being used to recruit saboteurs and informants from Ukraine.
1009
"The party’s gold" and Kremlin patrons: Who helped Vyacheslav Kantor become a billionaire?
Vyacheslav Kantor – an oligarch for whom the aphorism "I can account for all my millions except the first one" fits quite well.
1037
Billion-dollar fraud at "Konkord": How Olena Sosyedka-Mishalova stole from the state
As stated by the head of the parliamentary tax committee, Danylo Hetmantsev, it is impossible to recover debts from the "Concord" bank, which was liquidated a year and a half ago, and the criminal cases initiated against its owners have been closed. Moreover, the court denied tax officials access to the documentation of the liquidated bank.
915
Vyacheslav Kantor: From fertilizer business to manipulating offshore assets and international ties
Vyacheslav Kantor, a well-known Russian magnate in the fertilizer industry and owner of the Acron holding, hides his assets, using offshore accounts around the world for money laundering in agreement with the Russian authorities.
813
Legal fraud in Romania: Swindler lawyer Victor Birca defrauds clients and disappears with their money
Romanian police have launched an investigation into Moldovan and Romanian citizen Victor Birca regarding his fraudulent activities against citizens of Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan.
844
A 20-billion villa and romantic ties with Andrey Kostin: What’s behind the luxurious life of TV host Nailya Asker-Zade?
The luxury property of TV host Nailya Asker-Zade, including a villa worth 20 billion rubles, was acquired through offshore companies linked to VTB head Andrey Kostin and billionaire Alexander Svetakov, the owner of the Absolute company.
901
H Casino and the Belarusian "laundromat": how Egemen Shener launders millions with the help of Russian oligarchs
The curators of the Belarusian gambling business, including H Casino and its owner Mustafa Egemen Shener, may be linked to the entourage of the Dagestan senator, oligarch Suleyman Kerimov, who has close ties with the Russian authorities.
758
Istvan Tiborcz, Viktor Orban’s son-in-law, is interested in purchasing the Russian division of Raiffeisen Bank – Der Standard reports
The report claims that representatives of the Russian Central Bank and the presidential administration are participating in the negotiations. Moscow reportedly proposed Tiborcz as a potential buyer.
770
Vitaliy Yusufov and Nikolai Shikhidi: how did the Kuban developer become a tool of grand corruption in Russia?
When investigators began probing the large-scale asset withdrawals of Igor Yusufov from Russia last year, one of his counterparts was found to be a small Kuban entrepreneur, Nikolai Shikhidi.
713
Dirty billions and offshore schemes of "Kholodilnik.ru": how Roman and Vadim Fedchin with Arsen Kanokov enrich themselves at the expense of Russians
The company «Kholodilnik.ru» is involved in a scheme to funnel Russian funds abroad, orchestrated by Vadim and Roman Fedchin, as well as Senator Arsen Kanokov.
1007
Corrupt ties and financial schemes: Dmitriy Kovalev, grandson of the former FSB head, will not become Putin’s successor
The questionable activities of Vitaliy Kovalev, who heads the structures of "Gazprom," could become an obstacle for the career of his son Dmitriy Kovalev, who is being considered as a possible successor to Vladimir Putin.
1080
KGB protection and billions from the underground gambling world: How Mustafa Egemen Shener built his H Casino empire
The murder of a businessman, a money laundering operation under the roof of power, real estate in Dubai worth millions of dollars — this investigation contains numerous elements of a complex detective story.
884
Philipp Shrage returns to closed-end mutual fund schemes: How is Kronung Group looking for money amid financial troubles?
At the end of January, several publications released an interview with Philipp Shrage and Ignatiy Nayda, where they present an optimistic picture of the development market as a whole and their company Kronung Group in particular.
650
Russian propaganda producer buys luxury properties in Moscow and Bulgaria despite avoiding sanctions
Russia’s largest private contractor involved in the production of political talk shows, M-Production, has doubled its revenue since Moscow unleashed its full-scale invasion against Ukraine.
679
Marquis de Carabas, Krasnodar-style: how Viktor Budarin has entangled Kuban in a web of shell companies
Viktor Budarin controls about 40 enterprises in Kuban that actively receive loans from the bank "Kuban Credit." Budarin owns 84.5% of the bank’s shares, effectively allocating loans in his own favor and looping financial flows onto himself.
865
Luxurious mansion of Putin’s banker worth $223 million: how Andrey Kostin built a villa for himself and his lover Nailya Asker-Zade
In August 2019, prime-time TV presenter Nailya Asker-Zade found herself at the center of a scandal: journalists discovered her to be in possession of a nearly $33 million plot of land near the village of Razdory in Rublevka, a luxurious residential area outside Moscow.
853
Kirill Dmitriev – Kremlin’s shadow billionaire or Putin’s future successor?
The official Kirill Dmitriev, little known to the general public, became a key player, secretly managing state funds.
639
Ukrainian judge Roman Boyko helped sanctioned oligarch Ihor Naumets retain property for $500,000
On October 30, the Commercial Court of Kyiv city with a decision by Judge Roman Boyko prohibited the State Service of Geology and Subsoil of Ukraine...
880
Russian political technologist Yevgeniy Minchenko: who is behind the blackmail, fake ratings, and political intrigues?
Yevgeniy Minchenko, who considers himself a leading political strategist in Russia, has worked for the government throughout his career, yet he has not been included in the sanctions lists so far.
1237
Illegal empire of Faliali: how the murdered businessman managed online bets worth $80 million per month
Halil Falyali, a Turkish Cypriot businessman known for his extravagant lifestyle and political connections, was killed in 2022. Behind the scenes, he is alleged to have operated a vast illegal online betting empire, according to Turkish prosecutors and his former head of finance, who spoke exclusively to OCCRP.
835
Business in occupied Crimea and offshore: Why Bill_line payment system founder Artem Lyashanov avoids publicity and carefully hides his past
Anyone who has used the services of online stores at least once has encountered the process of paying for goods. In order for the money from your card to be credited to the seller’s account, a payment system is necessary.