12 members of a network of underground gambling establishments will stand trial in Kyiv
In Kyiv, an indictment has been filed against 12 individuals who organized a network of illegal gambling establishments with monthly revenues in the millions. Two of the defendants are accused of organizing the operations of these underground establishments.
Prosecutors from the Kyiv City Prosecutor’s Office have filed an indictment against 12 individuals who operated gambling establishments in Kyiv.
“Two of them are accused of organizing underground operations, four others managed them, and six defendants worked as administrators and served customers,” the prosecutor’s office reported.
As noted by the National Police, as a result of joint efforts by Kyiv police investigators and operatives from the National Police’s Department of Internal Security, members of a criminal group “who created an ‘industry’ of illegal gambling establishments in the capital” now face trial.
The network consisted of ten gaming halls located in various districts of the city. This extensive structure allowed them to ensure a constant flow of “customers” and expand their player base, the police noted.
“The illegal business was set up by two brothers from the Vinnytsia region—former police officers who, after being dismissed from law enforcement, crossed over to the other side of the law,” the statement reads.
They recruited four additional accomplices—so-called “supervisors”—to assist with their illegal activities. These individuals oversaw the operations of the gambling establishments, collected profits, and were responsible for carefully selecting reliable staff.
To ensure the network’s stable operation, approximately 30 other men and women worked as supervisors, administrators, and technical staff. Some of the suspects even collected profits and searched for new locations to open additional “branches.”
“The establishments for workers had internal rules—ranging from a dress code to a ban on alcohol consumption and mandatory reporting in work chat rooms. Administrator shifts were changed only at specific times according to a set pattern: two people came in, two went out,” the police reported.
The actions of the six defendants have been classified as illegal activities involving the organization or operation of gambling, committed by an organized group. Six more individuals will face trial on charges of illegal activities involving the organization or operation of gambling, the prosecutor’s office noted.
This was reported by the Kyiv City Prosecutor’s Office and the National Police.
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