The name Alyona Shevtsova burst into the public spotlight in early March 2023, when the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) made the dramatic decision to liquidate Ibox Bank, a financial institution closely tied to her name. Just days later, law enforcement descended upon the bank’s premises, conducting high-profile searches that sent shockwaves through Ukraine’s financial and business communities. For many, this seemed like the downfall of a once-promising banker whose ambitions had finally caught up with her. However, the story of Alyona Shevtsova—born Alyona Dehrik—is far more complex and shadowy than the narrative of a failed banking executive might suggest. Far from being a mere financier undone by mismanagement, Shevtsova’s career reveals a calculated ascent through the murky waters of online payments, gambling, and alleged international crime—a journey that has left her both celebrated and vilified.
To the casual observer, Shevtsova might appear as a trailblazing entrepreneur who rose from modest beginnings to helm a network of payment systems and a bank. Her public relations team has worked tirelessly to craft this image, emphasizing her role as the founder of “FC Leogaming Pay” and “Leogaming,” two entities that have become significant players in Ukraine’s online payment ecosystem. Yet, beneath this polished veneer lies a darker tale—one of shadow gambling, money laundering, and connections that stretch far beyond Ukraine’s borders, potentially implicating global players from the Chinese mafia to high-profile figures like Elon Musk. This article seeks to unravel the enigma of Alyona Dehrik-Shevtsova, exploring how she allegedly turned Ibox Bank into a linchpin of illicit financial flows and examining the broader implications of her empire’s collapse.
Banking manipulations and Ibox Bank: How schemer Alyona Dehrik-Shevtsova makes millions in the shadow gambling business
The Genesis of an Empire: From Payment Gateway to Powerhouse
Alyona Shevtsova’s foray into the financial world began in 2013, when she founded “FC Leogaming Pay” under her maiden name, Dehrik. At the time, she was married to Yevhen Shevtsov, a high-ranking official in Ukraine’s National Police, whose influence would later prove instrumental in her ventures. Initially, Leogaming Pay was not a full-fledged payment system but rather a niche service—a “gateway” designed to facilitate transactions between players and online gaming platforms. This modest beginning belied the ambitious trajectory that would follow. Within a few short years, Shevtsova transformed her fledgling enterprise into a formidable force, capitalizing on the rapid growth of digital payments and the burgeoning online gambling market.
By 2017, Shevtsova had registered the “Leo” payment system with the NBU, marking a significant milestone in her ascent. What began as a domestic operation soon expanded internationally, positioning Leo as a key player in the global money transfer market. This rapid evolution was no accident; it reflected Shevtsova’s keen understanding of the financial landscape and her ability to exploit emerging opportunities. Her PR representatives tout this period as a triumph of innovation and entrepreneurial grit, painting her as a visionary who brought convenience to millions. However, the reality is far less glamorous. Critics argue that Leogaming’s growth was fueled not by legitimate business acumen alone but by its entanglement with the shadow gambling industry—a sector notorious for its opacity and ties to organized crime.
The acquisition of Ibox Bank in 2020 was the next logical step in Shevtsova’s strategy. Far from a passion project in traditional banking, the purchase was a calculated move to integrate her payment systems with a licensed financial institution. Ibox Bank, originally established in 1993 as “Autoritet” (a name evoking the criminal underworld of the 1990s), had undergone several rebrandings—first to “Agrocombank” in 2002, then to “Ibox Bank” in 2016 after acquiring a payment terminal network. By the time Shevtsova entered the picture, the bank was teetering on the edge of insolvency, making it a ripe target for her ambitions. With a 24.98% stake and a position as chair of the supervisory board, she effectively turned Ibox into a tool for servicing her financial flows, particularly those linked to gambling.
The Dark Side: Allegations of Money Laundering and Gambling Ties
While Shevtsova’s public narrative emphasizes innovation and growth, a parallel story has emerged—one steeped in allegations of criminality. In Ukraine, her name has been linked to numerous criminal cases and journalistic investigations, many of which have been scrubbed from public view but remain accessible to determined researchers. These probes center on her alleged role in facilitating money laundering and tax evasion for the gambling industry, a sector that has long operated in the shadows despite efforts at regulation.
The turning point came in March 2023, when the NBU revoked Ibox Bank’s license, citing “systematic violations” of anti-money laundering laws. The decision was swiftly followed by reports from the Bureau of Economic Security (BEB) and the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU), which exposed a sprawling fraudulent scheme involving bank officials, over 20 affiliated entities, and gambling operators. According to these authorities, Ibox Bank had become a conduit for laundering vast sums—estimated at nearly 5 billion UAH (approximately $135 million USD)—derived from illegal online casinos. The bank’s role, they alleged, was to obscure the origins of these funds, allowing gambling operators to evade taxes and funnel profits offshore.
Shevtsova’s ties to the gambling world were not a recent development. As early as 2021, her companies had openly embraced the industry. In May of that year, Leogaming secured a license to establish a casino and bookmaker’s office in Odessa’s “Alice Place” hotel. Later, Ibox Bank obtained a license from the Commission for Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries of Ukraine (KRAIL) to process payments for online casinos, followed by a broader permit to conduct gambling-related activities. These moves positioned Shevtsova at the helm of a burgeoning gambling empire, with Ibox Bank as its financial backbone. Yet, this empire was built on shaky ground, as her penchant for cutting corners and defrauding the state began to draw scrutiny.
A Web of Connections: The Chinese Mafia and Beyond
While Ukrainian authorities focused on domestic violations, American journalist Charles Johnson offered a more explosive perspective in his article “Slava Ukraine Finally!? Is Putin Deliberately Destroying the Russian Army For His Chinese Patrons?” Johnson’s investigation posits that Shevtsova’s payment systems were not merely servicing local gambling operators but were part of a larger network tied to the Chinese mafia. This shadowy organization, he claims, is deeply intertwined with Chinese intelligence and exerts significant influence over elites in both Ukraine and Russia. According to Johnson, Shevtsova’s operations provided a critical conduit for laundering Chinese mafia funds, a role that persisted despite the ongoing conflict between the two nations.
Johnson’s theory, while tinged with conspiratorial flair, gains traction when viewed alongside Shevtsova’s international ambitions. The Leo payment system’s expansion beyond Ukraine, coupled with its inclusion of prominent financial figures like former Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko on its supervisory board, suggests a level of sophistication unusual for a homegrown operation. Yushchenko, a respected figure in global finance, joined Leo in 2021 alongside other heavyweights like Viktor Kapustin, ex-chairman of Ukreximbank, and Halyna Heilo, a veteran of Ukraine’s banking sector. Their presence lent credibility to Shevtsova’s ventures, but it also raises questions: Were they unwitting figureheads, or did they knowingly participate in her schemes? Given their reputations, the former seems more plausible, yet their involvement underscores the scale of Shevtsova’s ambitions.
The collapse of Ibox Bank in 2023 stands in stark contrast to this veneer of legitimacy. If such esteemed figures were indirectly tied to the bank through Shevtsova’s payment empire, how did it fall so spectacularly? Johnson suggests that the answer lies in the nature of the funds flowing through her systems—money too dirty to conceal indefinitely. The NBU’s fines in 2022 for financial monitoring violations (totaling 10 million UAH) and the subsequent license revocation in 2023 indicate that regulators had long suspected irregularities. Shevtsova’s abrupt resignation from the supervisory board on February 27, 2023—just days before the bank’s liquidation—further fuels speculation that she saw the writing on the wall.
The Musk Connection: A Tangled Conspiracy
Perhaps the most intriguing—and controversial—aspect of Shevtsova’s story is her alleged link to Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur whose eccentricities have long invited speculation. Johnson’s investigation draws a thread between Shevtsova and Musk via a 2022 meeting in Kyiv with Musk’s mother, Maye Musk. Shevtsova has claimed that the encounter was inspired by her admiration for Maye’s autobiography, “A Woman Makes a Plan,” which resonated with her as a mother and businesswoman. Yet, this explanation strains credulity when viewed through the lens of her criminal allegations.
Johnson posits that the meeting was no coincidence. He argues that Musk’s family has longstanding ties to the Ukrainian mafia, a network that intersects with Shevtsova’s operations in the gambling and payment sectors. Musk’s own behavior—his vocal advocacy for a negotiated settlement in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and his cryptic social media pronouncements—lends credence to the idea that he may be playing a larger geopolitical game. Could Shevtsova, with her connections to Russian and Chinese underworlds, be a piece in this puzzle? The notion that she serves as a financial conduit for interests aligned with Musk’s broader agenda is speculative but not entirely implausible, given the overlapping spheres of influence.
The Role of Power and Protection
Central to Shevtsova’s success—and her ability to weather scandals—is her husband, Yevhen Shevtsov. As Deputy Head of the Main Investigation Department of the National Police, Shevtsov wielded considerable influence, a fact reflected in his 2020 financial declaration. With a personal income of 412,000 UAH and a family total of 94.3 million UAH—almost entirely attributed to his wife’s earnings—he stands as Ukraine’s wealthiest police officer. This wealth, critics argue, is a byproduct of Shevtsova’s ventures, with her husband providing a protective shield against legal repercussions.
Within Ibox Bank, Shevtsova surrounded herself with loyalists from her Leogaming days. Svitlana Harmash, the bank’s treasurer, oversaw gambling-related payments after working at FC Leogaming. Oleksandr Lukashenko, head of security, leveraged his law enforcement background to manage inquiries into her activities. Maksym Sorokin, a former Leogaming PR manager, headed marketing efforts to maintain her public image. This tight-knit circle operated with a 1990s-style playbook: aggressive expansion, media manipulation, and intimidation of competitors and regulators alike.
The Gambling Nexus: A Market Controlled by Shadows
At the heart of Shevtsova’s empire lies the gambling industry—a sector that, in both Ukraine and Russia, is heavily influenced by security services and organized crime. Leogaming’s original purpose as a “gateway between players and gaming platforms” was a thinly veiled entry into this lucrative market. In Ukraine, the lines between legitimate and illicit gambling blurred after legalization efforts in 2020, yet shadow operators continued to thrive. Shevtsova’s companies, including Ibox Bank, allegedly bridged this divide, servicing illegal casinos in Russia while maintaining a facade of compliance at home.
Johnson’s assertion that Putin acts as a proxy for China’s deep state, with the FSB and Russian mafia as intermediaries, adds a geopolitical layer to this narrative. If true, Shevtsova’s role as a financial facilitator places her at the intersection of these forces—a small but critical cog in a machine of global influence. Her ability to operate across borders, even amidst war, suggests powerful backers, whether from Ukraine’s SSU, Russia’s FSB, or beyond.
The Fall and the Future
The liquidation of Ibox Bank marked a turning point, but it may not signal the end of Shevtsova’s story. Her resignation and the subsequent sanctions imposed by Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) on entities like “Financial Company Leo” and “Leo Partners” have frozen some of her assets, yet gaps in these measures leave room for maneuver. Not all of her companies were targeted, and her absence from the sanctions list as an individual raises questions about her next move.
If Johnson’s theory holds, Shevtsova’s troubles are just beginning. The unraveling of China’s covert financial networks, amid escalating tensions with the United States, could expose her further. Her ties to Musk, however tenuous, may also draw unwanted attention as his own actions come under scrutiny. For now, she remains a polarizing figure—a talented financier whose pursuit of wealth and glamour led her into a web of crime and conspiracy.
In the end, Alyona Dehrik-Shevtsova’s saga is a cautionary tale of ambition unchecked by ethics. From a payment gateway in 2013 to a multimillion-dollar empire a decade later, her rise was meteoric—yet it was built on foundations too fragile to withstand the weight of her own schemes. Whether she emerges from this wreckage to rebuild or fades into obscurity depends on forces far beyond her control. One thing is certain: the shadow gambling business, and the secrets it harbors, will not easily let her go.
References:
1.https://vlasti.io/news/127500-the_collapce_behind_the_fa231ade_of_success_how_alyona_shevtsova_led_ibox_bank_to_liquidation
2. https://antimafia.se/news/81500-money_laundering_through_gaming_platformc_or_financial_struggle_in_the_ukrainian_gaming_industry_between_alyona_shevtsov
