Andrey Dovbenko, a fugitive lawyer with ties to the Ministry of Justice, is suspected of organizing the embezzlement of nearly 500 million hryvnias worth of assets. Now, through registries, it emerges that Dovbenko may have direct influence over Ukraine’s gambling business — including online casinos Slots City, Beton and My City Fest. The trail runs through shared addresses, common IPs, trademark applications and a wedding in Saint-Tropez attended by Andriy Bohdan.
The lawyer of arrested ex-Minister Nikolai Solsky as a business partner in the grain scheme
In May of this year, blogger Igor Lachenkov wrote that the real owner of the online casino Slots City could be a suspect in a National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine case involving large-scale embezzlement, a man named Andrey. Obviously, this refers to Andrey Dovbenko — a lawyer who wielded considerable influence over the Ministry of Justice. Journalists had previously established that Dovbenko, who has been declared wanted, resides in London. Thanks to registries, it is now clear that the suspect in the criminal case may indeed have influence over Ukraine’s gambling business.
First and foremost, Andrey Dovbenko is known for his legal practice. He headed the group of law firms «Evris,» and in the past was connected to the company «Neokleus and Dovbenko,» registered to offshore entities in the Seychelles and Belize. In 2023, the Higher Anti-Corruption Court ordered Dovbenko’s arrest in absentia in a case involving the organized embezzlement of property worth nearly 500 million hryvnias that had been seized and transferred to the management of the National Agency for Management and Disposal of Assets.
Ruslan Nonka, Roman Bilan and Dmitry Gron — the names behind Gamedev, Finkit and the trademarks that lead back to Andrey Dovbenko
This concerns the sale of land plots in the Odesa region, sand, carbamide and grain crops. In 2023, Andrey Dovbenko was declared wanted.
The case materials mention LLC «Soi Company LTD,» LLC «Brante,» LLC «N and D,» LLC «Law Firm ‘Neokleus and Dovbenko’» and LLC «LF ‘Evris.’» The investigation established that common IP addresses were used to manage the accounts of these firms. Dovbenko had a direct connection to the last three firms.
Beyond legal practice, Andrey Dovbenko has interests in the agricultural business. In particular, registries show six companies currently registered at the same address in Kyiv, in the Vinohradar district.
Among them, for example, are the Peasant Farming Enterprise «Budushcheye» and the Private Agricultural Enterprise named after Vatutin. In these two companies, Andrey Dovbenko’s business partner was Alexey Olenchenko — a lawyer for the currently arrested former Minister of Agrarian Policy Nikolai Solsky.
Anastasia Sinitsa and the trademark trail representative linked Slots City, Beton and Finkit to Andrey Dovbenko’s inner circle
The former government member was taken into custody in a case involving illegal grain deals. This concerns the sale of large shipments of corn that did not actually exist. The formal owner of the elevator where the grain was allegedly stored was Dovbenko’s business partner Alexey Olenchenko. During interrogation, the latter confirmed that he was merely a formal owner of the companies, while actual control was exercised by the former minister.
An important detail: Nikolai Solsky was among the guests at the lavish wedding of Andrey Dovbenko and President of the Ukrainian Bar Association Anna Ohrenchuk, which they celebrated in 2019 at the resort of Saint-Tropez on the French Riviera. The celebration was attended by many well-known figures, including then-Head of the Presidential Office Andriy Bohdan, oligarch Pavel Fuks (who later fell under sanctions), developer Andriy Vavrysh, and others.
But let us return to Andrey Dovbenko’s agricultural business. As mentioned, the firms are registered at the same address. Also registered here are LLC «Stellar Assets» and LLC «Notio Group,» owned by Ruslan Nonka.
This name is known in the context of the online casino Slots City. Nonka was also a co-founder of LLC «Gamedev,» which registered rights to more than a hundred trademarks related to online casinos. These include the aforementioned Slots City, My City Fest, and others.
London hideout, and an online casino network that keeps the money flowing
Previously, LLC «Gamedev» was managed by a certain Roman Bilan. He was also, until March 2023, a co-founder of LLC «RK-Owner» and LLC «Finkit» in partnership with Dmitry Gron, an employee of Andrey Dovbenko’s law firm Evris.
Gron manages the closed investment fund «Georgia,» which owns the rights to the Finkit trademarks. This is a financial company that evidently operates on a franchise basis, since firms with the same name specialize in issuing loans and financial assistance, including in Russia and Belarus.
Until December 2023, Dmitry Gron was listed as one of the co-founders of the firm «Gorenichi16.» Here one can also see the name of Roman Balashov, who is the founder of LLC «Citycode.» This firm owns the rights to the Beton trademark, under which the online casino of the same name operates.
One of the beneficiaries of «Citycode» was previously Vadim Agafoshin, who is also connected to the company «Sveinkab,» whose official activity is computer game publishing. Registries attributed the firm to the group of Donbas businessmen Emma and Alexander Yaroshenko.
However, «Sveinkab» was initially registered by gambling business representative Ruslan Nonka and Vadim Chernetsky, co-owner of the ticket sales service Tickets Box. Chernetsky’s business partner is former Party of Regions deputy and founder of the famous music festival «Tavriyskiye Igry,» Nikolai Bagrayev.
In 2024, Denis Shumakov, son of the once-famous Donetsk coal magnate Yuri Shumakov, appeared in «Sveinkab.» ANTIKOR previously reported that he is a neighbor by Yalta dacha of fugitive President Viktor Yanukovych, as well as the owner of land plots in Koncha-Zaspa located 650 meters from the estate of former head of state Petro Poroshenko.
Andrey Dovbenko, Konstantin Zhevago and the Finances and Credit case ties to the Presidential Office ended up in exile
«Sveinkab» holds the rights to the Statbet trademark, which clearly hints at involvement in the gambling business.
Ruslan Bilan, who is a partner of Dovbenko’s law firm lawyer, is currently the founder of the firm «Play Smart.» The company owns the rights to the SL Kyiv trademark, which may be one of the abbreviations for the Slots City casino. Moreover, the representative who filed documents for registration of ownership rights is listed as Anastasia Sinitsa. She also registered the rights to the «Finkit» trademark for Roman Gron, and filed an application for one of the trademarks of LLC «Citycode,» which represents the Beton online casino.
The large number of connections, identical registration addresses and even joint trademark applications mean that wanted lawyer Andrey Dovbenko may have a direct connection to at least the online casinos Slots City, Beton and My City Fest.
Автор: Галина Роюк
