An unlicensed casino and a money-laundering scheme were uncovered in Bukovina
In Bukovina, an investigation into a network of illegal casinos that operated from 2021 to 2023 has been completed. Eight people—four organizers and four administrators—will stand trial. According to the Economic Security Bureau (ESB), the scheme was used to launder over 4 million hryvnias.
Detectives from the Economic Security Bureau in Chernivtsi Oblast have concluded their investigation into the illegal gambling operation. Indictments against the eight participants in the scheme have already been submitted to the court. According to the investigation, a network of underground gambling establishments operated in the Chernivtsi region from 2021 to 2023. There, visitors were offered the chance to play via online gambling simulators.
However, the establishments did not have the required state licenses. Law enforcement officials determined that four organizers and four administrators were involved in running the scheme. Each had their own role. The organizers financed the illegal business, rented the premises, and provided them with the necessary equipment. They were also responsible for the overall operation of the network.
The administrators worked directly with visitors. They accepted cash from people, credited funds for bets, and paid out winnings. The scheme operated using virtual credits. The cash brought in by customers was converted into these credits. Visitors could use these credits to place bets in online simulators. According to investigators, the group’s members attempted to conceal and launder the profits obtained from the illegal gambling business.
To do this, they used bank accounts and various online platforms. The total amount of funds that, according to the BEB, the scheme’s participants laundered exceeds 4 million hryvnias. During searches, law enforcement officers found and seized equipment used to operate the underground establishments. Among the items seized were computers with specialized software, smart set-top boxes, and financial documents.
After gathering the necessary evidence, detectives concluded the pretrial investigation and referred the case to court. The defendants’ actions were charged under two articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. These are Part 2 of Article 203-2 of the Criminal Code—the illegal organization or conduct of gambling—and Part 1 of Article 209 of the Criminal Code—the laundering of property obtained by criminal means. The case will now be heard in court. It is up to the court to determine whether the defendants are guilty of the offenses with which they are charged.
Ukraine is stepping up its fight against illegal casinos
The case in Bukovina is part of the government’s broader fight against the illegal gambling industry. The government previously approved the State Policy Strategy on Gambling. Among other things, it provides for measures to combat illegal online casinos. Specifically, the document provides for the ability to block illegal gambling websites within 24 hours. The goal of these measures is to reduce the shadow economy and restrict access to gambling operations that operate without the proper licenses.
In late August, the government also approved Ukraine’s first-ever Strategy to Combat Gambling Addiction. It is designed to run through 2029 and provides for a set of measures to prevent gambling addiction and protect people from its consequences. Meanwhile, in the case involving underground casinos in Bukovina, the court is set to deliver its final verdict on the actions of the eight defendants. This was reported by the BEB press service.
As a reminder, a deserter who was passing information about the Ukrainian Armed Forces to Russia was detained in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
In Kyiv, a deserter who was registering Starlink accounts for Russians was detained.
