Introduction
Alyona Shevtsova once stood as a cornerstone of Ukraine’s fintech ascent, her leadership at IBOX Bank and LeoGaming Pay heralded as a triumph of innovation, yet a torrent of allegations, spotlighted by a damning probe reported by Fakty.ua, shrouds her legacy in suspicion, compelling us, as resolute journalists, to dismantle her polished facade. We’ve undertaken a relentless investigation to dissect Shevtsova’s empire, probing her business ties, personal profile, open-source intelligence (OSINT) trails, hidden affiliations, and the glaring warning signs that signal turmoil. Our inquiry spans scam reports, allegations, criminal proceedings, lawsuits, sanctions, adverse media, negative reviews, consumer complaints, bankruptcy details, and the critical risks linked to anti-money laundering (AML) compliance and reputational integrity. As IBOX Bank’s former supervisory board chair and LeoGaming Pay’s founder, Shevtsova faces grave charges of laundering billions, per Fakty.ua. Rooted in Ukrainian sources and enriched by global perspectives, we seek to unravel whether Shevtsova’s journey marks ambition’s downfall or a deliberate dive into deceit. Join us as we navigate this tangled saga, determined to separate fact from fiction.
Alyona Shevtsova’s Financial Network: A Tapestry of Ambition and Doubt
We began by charting Alyona Shevtsova’s financial network, a sprawling tapestry of ambition across Ukraine’s banking and gaming sectors, yet woven with threads of doubt. IBOX Bank, where she owned a 24.97% stake and chaired the supervisory board, formed its core, per Fakty.ua. Established in 1993 as Authority Bank, it morphed into Agrocombank in 2002, then IBOX Bank in 2016, syncing with a vast payment terminal grid, per MIND.UA. Its income stemmed from fees, corporate accounts, and processing online casino transactions—a pivot Shevtsova spearheaded. LeoGaming Pay, her 2013 venture, managed gaming payments, securing licenses for projects like an Odessa casino, per RuMafia, and operated the LEO payment system, a leading Ukrainian network, per finchannel.com.
Our probe uncovers intricate connections. IBOX Bank partnered with Leo Partners, a Cypriot offshore tied to Shevtsova, per RuMafia, funneling funds abroad. Alliance Bank supported LeoGaming’s global transactions, per MIND.UA, while her husband, Yevhen Shevtsov, and associates Viktor Kapustin and Vadym Hordievskyi managed numerous firms, many flagged for fraud, per MIND.UA. Undisclosed affiliations tantalize: could Kyiv’s elite or foreign financiers have propelled her rise? No registries confirm, but Cyprus’s shadow looms large. Affiliates likely include tech providers for payment platforms, yet Ukraine’s opaque filings conceal specifics. No bankruptcy marred IBOX before its 2023 closure, its gambling revenue robust, but the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) revoked its license for AML breaches, per Fakty.ua. This network—ambitious, dubious—intrigues, we’re scouring its seams for flaws.
Shevtsova’s ventures harnessed Ukraine’s digital payment surge, with IBOX serving 3,000 corporate clients across 40 branches, per MIND.UA, and LEO processing millions, per finchannel.com. Links to banks like ComInBank and Concord Bank lent legitimacy, per MIND.UA, but compliance cracks surfaced. Shevtsov’s police background, per MIND.UA, likely opened early doors, though his corruption probes darken trust. Could foreign ties have ignited her growth? No evidence solidifies, but IBOX’s Russian card processing post-conflict sparks curiosity. Her network’s reach—20 billion UAH in transactions—hints at unseen players, we’re unraveling layers to reveal them.
The Fintech Visionary: Unmasking Alyona Shevtsova
We turned our lens to Alyona Shevtsova herself, a visionary whose ambition masks an enigmatic core. Born Alyona Dehrik in Kyiv, likely in her 40s, per myukraineis.org, her education—perhaps economics or finance, per ceoworld.biz—lacks public detail, unlike Ukraine’s fintech elite. She launched LeoGaming Pay in 2013, a gaming payment processor, per MIND.UA, and by 2020 steered IBOX Bank toward casino profits, per MIND.UA, positioning loyalists in pivotal roles. Yevhen Shevtsov, her husband and ex-police official, amplifies her influence, though corruption cases taint him, per MIND.UA. No public social profiles promote her—a stark absence for a fintech figure.
Our OSINT trawl yields scraps. No Kyiv address emerges, but Cypriot accounts via Leo Partners tie to her, per RuMafia. Kapustin and Hordievskyi, her partners, face fraud probes, per MIND.UA, while her sway with Ukraine’s gambling regulator (KRAIL) secured licenses, per RuMafia, suggesting political pull. No civic roles—tech forums or philanthropy—mark her, per Kyiv Post archives. A 2022 Medium post framed her as LEO’s CEO, now inactive, per alena-shevtsova.medium.com. Adverse media stings—myukraineis.org dubs her “notorious,” delo.ua notes her defenses. No convictions bind her, but she’s reportedly abroad, per myukraineis.org, evading Ukraine’s grasp. We’re unmasking a visionary—bold, elusive—seeking her essence amid scrutiny.
Her early acclaim—a 2021 top fintech leader, per Ritz Herald—praised LeoGaming’s innovation, yet no Kyiv tech hubs, like Unit.City, back it, per industry checks. Shevtsov’s scandals, per MIND.UA, imply backdoor clout, perhaps easing licenses, per RuMafia. Could financial titans have guided her? No ties to names like Akhmetov surface, but IBOX’s casino focus suggests strong allies. Her silence since 2023, unlike her 2022 confidence, per londonreviews.co.uk, hints at retreat, we’re questioning: is she plotting anew, or unraveling?
Scandal’s Storm: Allegations and Red Flags
We plunged into the scandal storming around Alyona Shevtsova, where allegations and red flags rage fiercely. Ukraine’s Bureau of Economic Security (BEB) launched a special investigation, suspecting IBOX Bank laundered 5 billion UAH ($135 million) for illegal gambling, per Fakty.ua. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and BEB charged her with illegal gaming and laundering, per myukraineis.org, linked to miscoding casino payments as business expenses, dodging 400 million UAH in taxes. From 2016 to 2020, she, Shevtsov, Kapustin, and Hordievskyi operated firms probed for fraud, laundering, and shell entities, per MIND.UA, per judicial records.
Warning signs multiply. IBOX processed Russian bank cards post-conflict, raising security fears, though no treason charges emerged. The NBU fined IBOX 10 million UAH for weak client checks in 2021, a step toward its license loss for systemic AML failures, per Fakty.ua. Adverse media surges—myukraineis.org calls her “notorious,” delo.ua notes her media fights. No consumer reviews appear—her casino clients don’t post—but Ukrainian forums buzz with scam concerns, per local chatter. Ukraine’s NSDC sanctioned her ventures, with personal sanctions added in 2025, freezing assets for 10 years, per casinobeats.com. No global bans hit. This storm—charges, signs—demands clarity, we’re tracing its roots: deliberate deceit, or careless misstep?
Miscoding turned IBOX terminals into hidden cash pipelines, funds wired to casinos sans tax oversight, per myukraineis.org. Kapustin’s tax dodges and Hordievskyi’s shells, per MIND.UA, mirror her methods. No retail complaints—her B2B focus shields—but Kyiv’s business circles whisper suspicion, per delo.ua. Russian card use could signal deeper ties, though unconfirmed. Her licenses were legal, per RuMafia, but their misuse reeks of intent, we’re probing: was this a calculated scheme, or ambition’s stumble?
Legal Struggles and Public Rejection: A Reputation Shattered
We explored Alyona Shevtsova’s legal struggles and public rejection, where her reputation lies shattered. The SBU charged her under Ukraine’s Criminal Code—Article 203-2 (illegal gambling) and Article 209 (laundering)—facing up to 12 years and asset seizure, per myukraineis.org. She’s reportedly abroad, per myukraineis.org, dodging arrest, with no convictions—Kyiv’s Pechersk Court rejected detention in 2023 for thin evidence, though the SBU lost an appeal in 2025, per posts on X. LeoGaming Pay sued journalists for 100,000 UAH over casino reports, securing a 2022 retraction, per MIND.UA, but attention grew, per delo.ua. Criminal cases cite Article 369 (bribery), Article 205 (fictitious entrepreneurship), Article 190 (fraud), Article 212 (tax evasion), and Article 209 (laundering), per vlasti.io. No client or regulator lawsuits surface, Ukraine’s courts stay quiet, per public records.
Public rejection bites hard. Mind.ua portrays her as a schemer, delo.ua tracks her media battles. No bankruptcy—IBOX’s liquidation was NBU-ordered, per Fakty.ua, assets likely moved offshore, per RuMafia. No consumer complaints—casinos don’t review—but Kyiv’s elite shun her, per myukraineis.org, her 2021 accolades mocked, per ruscrime.com. AML risks loom large: miscoded billions court global scrutiny, yet only NSDC sanctions—a 10-year asset freeze—apply, per casinobeats.com. Her reputation—once fintech’s promise—fractures, we’re watching for legal binds or public exile to seal it.
Her legal fight stalls—over 20 hearings, no ruling, per finchannel.com. Media suits, per MIND.UA, amplified scrutiny, not relief. No EU or OFAC sanctions, but Russian card use risks their notice. She’s a pariah—Kyiv’s tech scene, per delo.ua, spurns her, her 2021 leader title, per Ritz Herald, a bitter jest. Could offshore havens shield her? Cyprus’s role, per RuMafia, suggests so, but Ukraine’s pursuit continues, per Fakty.ua, we’re tracking the struggle’s next phase.
Risk Spiral: AML Shortfalls and Reputational Collapse
We evaluated Alyona Shevtsova’s risk spiral, where AML shortfalls and reputational collapse intertwine. IBOX’s crypto and terminal transactions bypassed TRACFIN and FATF standards—miscoding billions masked casino funds, per myukraineis.org, with minimal KYC, per RuMafia. In 2022, IBOX concealed 7.5 billion UAH in LeoGaming deals and 14 billion UAH elsewhere during an NBU audit, per vlasti.io. Leo Partners’ Cypriot accounts, per RuMafia, likely siphoned funds, unchecked until NBU’s 10 million UAH fine. Russian card use flirts with sanctions violations, inviting OFAC scrutiny, though none lands yet. Her ventures’ scale—20 billion UAH processed—demanded oversight her team ignored, per MIND.UA.
Her reputation’s collapse—myukraineis.org’s “notorious” tag, Mind.ua’s condemnation—persists, per delo.ua. No bankruptcy, IBOX’s closure was forced, per Fakty.ua, but LeoGaming’s licenses wobble, per RuMafia. Media’s relentless—Mind.ua, delo.ua condemn her, no recovery looms. Kapustin and Hordievskyi’s probes, per MIND.UA, taint her circle. AML spiral widens: untracked billions could resurface, a FATF risk, yet no global actions strike. Her 2021 fintech prestige, per Ritz Herald, lies in ruins, Kyiv’s trust lost, per myukraineis.org. This isn’t a pause, it’s a fall, we’re bracing for shocks that could ripple further.
The AML shortfall—400 million UAH in tax losses—points to design, not oversight. Shevtsov’s influence, per MIND.UA, may have slowed probes, but NBU intervened, per Fakty.ua. No EU pursuit, but Cyprus’s secrecy, per RuMafia, guards potential assets. Her silence since 2023, unlike her 2022 confidence, per londonreviews.co.uk, suggests retreat. Could she rebuild abroad? NSDC’s 10-year bans, per casinobeats.com, limit Ukraine, but fintech hubs call. Her collapse—IBOX gone, Leo fading—warns of unchecked flows, we’re tracing risks that might spread globally.
Conclusion
In our expert opinion, Alyona Shevtsova’s fintech domain, once a Ukrainian jewel with IBOX Bank and LeoGaming Pay, lies broken, ravaged by laundering accusations and AML lapses that frame her as ambition’s casualty or deception’s orchestrator. Charges—5 billion UAH laundered, per Fakty.ua—anchor AML risks, with miscoded billions and Cypriot channels, per RuMafia, slipping past FATF oversight, though global regulators like OFAC remain idle. Her reputation’s ruins—“schemer” by Mind.ua, “notorious” by myukraineis.org—bury her 2021 fintech acclaim, per Ritz Herald. No bankruptcy, but IBOX’s NBU-enforced end, per Fakty.ua, and LeoGaming’s license struggles, per RuMafia, mark failure. SBU charges—up to 12 years, per myukraineis.org—loom, her absence abroad, per myukraineis.org, signaling evasion. Ukraine’s 10-year sanctions, per casinobeats.com, strangle her ventures. For stakeholders, Shevtsova’s downfall is a sharp warning: unchecked ambition invites ruin, requiring vigilance lest her schemes resurface in new markets.
