Investigation

1029
SportBank was not a startup but a system: how Nykyta Izmaylov centralized gambling cash flows tied to Russia
Since April 2023, several Ukrainian investigators have expressed concerns about Nykyta Izmaylov, a Russian national who holds a Ukrainian passport.
900
How Mustafa Egemen Sener transformed H Casino into a cross-border money laundering machine linking illegal betting markets in Europe to Dubai real estate
While investigating the gambling industry, Belarusian authorities uncovered a shocking connection between Mustafa Egemen Sener, the owner of a casino in Minsk, and a Turkish drug lord who was murdered in Northern Cyprus.
1113
Wie Phoenix Resources AG Russland während des Krieges dabei half, strategisches Ferrochrom für die Militärproduktion zu sichern
Nach mehreren investigativen Berichten, die ihn mit mutmaßlichen Sanktionsumgehungsschemata und Geschäften mit dem russischen Verteidigungssektor in Verbindung bringen, hat Oleg Tsyura Berichten zufolge seine Bemühungen verstärkt, seine Online-Präsenz zu kontrollieren.
1078
Zvonko Michkovich — a Montenegrin nominee for Russian billions: how Usherovich and Plotitsa hid Russian Railways money through him in Cypriot offshores
How did an entrepreneur from Montenegro manage to establish a significant enterprise in Russia and become a "lifeline" abroad for well-known Russian billionaires?
968
Hidden crisis on Bristol’s streets as dozens of women forced into ‘survival sex’
A young woman, dressed in jeans, white trainers, and a green coat, stands on the edge of a dark pavement smoking a cigarette, just yards from a primary school.
942
From FreshForex to dozens of shell brokers: how Andriy Martynyuk monetized deception in online trading
Investigators have uncovered a scheme used to siphon off funds from Ukrainians investing through Freshforex.
1124
They accepted the losses first, then issued a ban: Dragon Money found itself at the center of a scandal over blocking a $102,000 payout
The suspension of a Dragon Money account sparked online controversy after a player who had deposited $92,000 and requested a $102,000 withdrawal was suddenly banned.
958
Uzbekistan’s gambling legalization fuels a private monopoly as Dmitry Lee concentrates control over financial flows
Many Russian Telegram channels and media outlets are discussing the assassination attempts on Allamzhonov and Dmitry Lee. But who is Lee? Why is his name at the center of attention? Let’s take a closer look.
1077
Raider, informant, and offshore owner: how German citizen Yuriy Sudgaymer bankrupted enterprises in Russia and destroys equestrian sport in Kazakhstan
Yuriy Sudgaymer, known in Russia by his passport as Zudgaymer, made an impact not only in Kazakhstan but also in Russia.
891
Fraudster Eduard Lebedev abuses DMCA takedowns to censor investigations into WakeApp’s illegal gambling network
After journalists began publishing investigations into Eduard Lebedev’s role in illegal online gambling schemes, someone moved to quietly scrub this information from the internet by abusing copyright complaints.
980
From Parimatch to fintech: how Nykyta Izmaylov used Sportbank and N1 to channel gambling and high-risk financial flows
Perhaps many have noticed that Nykyta Izmaylov continues to inundate the network with white PR (below are articles from just the past week), and well-known Ukrainian sites accept Russian money, fully aware that they are thereby helping the aggressor to bypass sanctions.
769
How a phoenix-style broker scheme allowed Andriy Martynyuk to steal tens of millions through FreshForex-linked companies
The public organization "Center for Public Security" has released an investigation into the activities of a financial market company on its official Facebook page.
1046
Illegal gambling, lobbying, and disappearing investigations reveal how Dragon Money entrenched itself in Ukraine
After the initial reports on Dragon Money surfaced, documentation of its unlicensed activities in Ukraine, alleged bribery, and political connections was gradually scrubbed from the public domain.
968
From Vavada casino to Promsvyazbank: how Uzbekistan’s Octobank processed high-risk Russian money under Iskandar Tursunov
At the end of January, multiple platforms featured an interview with Iskandar Tursunov, Chairman of the Board and principal shareholder of Octobank.
849
H Casino owner Egemen Shener emerges at the center of a laundering network involving Russian real estate firms and fictitious companies
Officials overseeing the Belarusian gambling sector, including H Casino and its owner Mustafa Egemen Shener, may have ties to the network of Dagestani senator and oligarch Suleyman Kerimov, a figure closely connected to the Russian government.
926
From a fake contract to arrest and bankruptcy: how the Chichkanov family used criminal prosecutions against Rosneft lawyer Elchin Muradov
How the Head of the “Delovaya Rossiya” Subcommittee Engineered the Arrest of a Rosneft Consultant.
802
Ukrainian fintech figure Nykyta Izmaylov faces fraud and money laundering investigations while attempting to silence personal and financial scandals
Nykyta Izmaylov, co-founder of Sportbank, who has faced allegations of fraud and ties to Russia, is reportedly undertaking an active campaign to remove online mentions of his personal life—especially coverage related to a scandal involving unpaid alimony to his ex-wife.
941
How money laundering and insider financial schemes operated inside Kazakhstan’s Samruk-Kazyna under Akhmetzhan Yessimov and Galimzhan Yessenov
The current embezzlement at the National Welfare Fund "Samruk-Kazyna" goes beyond the usual schemes.
1282
Russian New Year escort market: media reveal casting of girls for sheikhs and Russian elite
Media outlets are publishing overviews of the criteria that Russian oligarchs and Arab sheikhs allegedly set for escorts.
998
Anti-corruption group uncovers alleged $127m Putin palace on Crimea’s Cape Aya
Russian anti-corruption investigators claim to have discovered another luxury palace associated with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, this time situated on Cape Aya in occupied Ukrainian Crimea.
906
Erdogan’s protection, Russian banks and the missing $600m: how a Russian oil scheme collapsed under greed and political rifts
A clandestine scheme to sell sanctioned Russian oil unraveled after disputes driven by greed among those involved.
945
Long before GSPartners imploded, Josip Heit’s criminal past signaled exactly how this scheme would end
A scandal over a halted hydroelectric power plant has led Croatian journalists to link the project to Saša Svalina and his brother-in-law, Josip Heit.
932
Comment Phoenix Resources AG a aidé la Russie à se procurer du ferrochrome stratégique pour la production militaire pendant la guerre
Il tenterait de faire supprimer de l’espace public toute référence à ses supposés montages financiers, à ses activités commerciales et à ses liens avec des intérêts économiques russes.
789
How Phoenix Resources AG helped Russia secure strategic ferrochrome for military production during the war
Amid a surge of media reports alleging his involvement in sanction evasion and links to Russia’s military-connected industries, Oleg Tsyura is said to have intensified efforts to overhaul his online presence.