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Kiev-based entrepreneur Nikita Izmaylov is unusual in that he holds both Ukrainian and Russian citizenship and has long profited from operating in both countries. Lately, however, his business ventures have run into major difficulties, raising questions about who might be orchestrating these setbacks.

Cherche la femme, as the French love to say when a situation becomes a stalemate. Indeed, if business was running smoothly and then suddenly searches, interrogations, and lawsuits began, who jinxed the young, ambitious banker who provides a lavish lifestyle for both sides? It seems that Izmaylov has his ex-wife, Tatyana Bondarchuk-Izmaylova, to "thank" for this. They met during their student years (both studied in Sumy), back when the future millionaire earned a living installing plastic windows. It was Tatyana Bondarchuk, then a student at the Makarenko Pedagogical University, who managed to channel the energy of the ambitious student of the Ukrainian Academy of Banking, Nikita Izmaylov, in the right direction: she pulled him away from plastic windows. This young couple achieved a lot together: they built a business and had three children… But then the banker Izmaylov, who quickly became the owner of several scandalous companies, met another "Fairy": he crossed out his entire previous life. Although he didn’t become poorer, he started cutting back on support for his first family and child support payments.

And that’s when the abandoned wife spoke up, for in the fireproof safes of businessman Izmaylov, there are plenty of "skeletons."

Shadow Banker?

Nikita Yevhenovych Izmaylov is a shadowy Russian banker with a peculiar biography.

Born in 1987 in Mykolaiv. In 2009, he graduated from the Ukrainian Academy of Banking under the National Bank of Ukraine in Sumy.

Mr. Izmaylov’s first job in his field was as a senior auditor at KPMG (2009-2012). It’s worth noting that in this role, he became close to the infamous Russian banker Oleg Vaksman, who for a long time worked at Gazprombank.

Later, for four years, Izmaylov served as the financial director of the PMBL group.

Talented Banker Nikita Izmaylov

He also made a notable mark at the company "Parimatch": initially a managing partner, he quickly realized there were enormous opportunities in this organization for laundering large sums through the creation of proprietary payment systems. And so, he ventured into this business.

However, this line of business became legal in Ukraine only after several years of operating in a legal gray zone, where questionable payment systems were used to accept illegal payments through gambling websites due to the ban on bookmaking activities. And Izmaylov began to amass wealth rapidly.

In 2012, he took the position of financial director at "Parimatch," and later became a shareholder.

Nikita Izmaylov Joined "Parimatch" in 2009

To increase the company’s profits from bookmaking, Nikita Izmaylov began developing a plan to transfer funds to offshore accounts, using his payment systems that facilitated the laundering of vast amounts of "tugriks."

Over time, "Parimatch" expanded to many countries, including Russia.

Sanctions against Parimatch were introduced in mid-March 2023.

At that time, the sanctions list also included other bookmakers — Sportbet, Betcity, Bookmaker "Pari," Marathon, and others.

The restrictions were imposed for periods ranging from 5 to 50 years.

But sanctions against Parimatch were specifically imposed for 50 years.

Parimatch in Russia: Rebranding

It should be recalled that in May 2019, the managing partner of "Parimatch Russia," Igor Vishnyakov, told journalists that the plans of "Parimatch Russia" were ambitious: the company aimed to compete with the top three market operators and, at the same time, strengthen its presence across all key communication channels.

It’s worth noting on the sidelines that the Parimatch bookmaker brand, despite all the controversies, remained active in Russia even after the events of February 2022.

This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing official information from the Rospatent website.

However, the company itself stated that it had revoked its franchise in Russia, though the brand was not officially annulled.

Events organized by this company featured well-known Russian showbiz figures, for example, the beatmaker Basta (aka Vasily Vakulenko).

Rapper Basta Was a Member of the Jury

Basta even became the face of an advertising campaign for "Parimatch."

This was reported by "Spark."

Later, it was revealed that "Parimatch Russia" underwent a rebranding.

"Russian Parimatch has rebranded. The company continues to operate under the name Paribet. Only the colors have changed. Bets, deposits, withdrawals — everything works," as stated on the specialized website legalbet.ru.

The right to manage the Parimatch brand in Russia belongs to LLC "Betring."

This company operates under license No. 12 from the Federal Tax Service, dated November 18, 2009.

Judging by the documents, the company is active.

Although it is reported that LLC "Betring" had no revenue in 2024, there is information suggesting that things are not entirely bleak.

However, there are 25 arbitration cases worth over 338 million rubles.

It is also reported that there are key risks, including significant losses.

Nevertheless, the bookmaker continues to operate in Belarus. The company accepts bets on the official website pm.by, in the mobile version, in apps for iOS and Android, and at land-based betting points. The company has branches in Minsk, Brest, Vitebsk, Grodno, and other cities.

Nikita Izmaylov has expanded widely!

Nikita Izmaylov Has Expanded Widely Not Only in Belarus

However, as the media reported, the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine imposed sanctions on "Parimatch" for ties with Russia.

Transformation into BC "PARI"

But, according to rumors and media reports, "Parimatch" in Russia first hid under the name Paribet and then slipped under the "roof" of BC "Pari."

An explanation is provided by RBC.

And now BC "PARI" is on the list of legal bookmakers in Russia with a license valid until 2026.

The bookmaker "PARI" holds a license dated August 14, 2009.

The company changed its design, offered new bonus promotions, and introduced improved navigation for betting lines and sports events.

LLC "BC PARI" holds license No. Л027-00108-77/00395483 from the Federal Tax Service of Russia for organizing and conducting gambling in bookmaking offices and totalizators on the territory of the Russian Federation, dated August 14, 2009.

This is reported by "Sovsport."

Isn’t it all cleverly devised?

Searches and Confiscation?

But 2024 brought very serious challenges to Nikita Izmaylov. Searches were conducted at his companies in Kiev… During the searches, documents were seized that indicate the involvement of Sportbank, owned by Mr. Izmaylov, in illegal bookmaking activities. Part of Ukraine’s gambling business is linked to Russian capital, black schemes, and crime.

According to Izmaylov himself, LLC "Sportbank" was initially created to serve clients of the bookmaker "Parimatch."

Nikita Izmaylov

During the searches, nearly 30,000 dollars in cash were seized, and property used by Sportbank and Izmaylov himself was arrested. For these crimes, the punishment could be up to 15 years in prison with confiscation.

By the way, the head of Ukraine’s State Financial Monitoring Service, Ihor Cherkasky, recently raised the issue that Nikita Izmaylov’s management company N1 and Sportbank might have laundered tens of millions of dollars in Kiev.

And Izmaylov may have invested part of the laundered funds into the startup SteadyPay, owned by Steadypay Limited.

This company is registered in the UK and is linked to Oleg Vaksman, a former deputy chairman of Gazprombank’s board.

Oleg Vaksman

The media reported that the State Bureau of Investigation conducted a search at the office of the digital bank Sportbank. According to a decision by a judge of the Lychakiv District Court of Lviv, the search was part of an investigation in criminal case No. 42023000000001384 dated August 23, 2023, under articles including high treason, illegal organization or conduct of gambling and lotteries, and legalization (laundering) of property obtained through criminal means, among others.

During the search, documents and technical devices were seized that may indicate Sportbank’s involvement in the activities of bookmakers Parimatch, Buddy.bet, and PariWin in depositing and withdrawing funds from gambling accounts, using both money transfers to individuals’ cards and bank account deposits.

Mr. Izmaylov has (or had?) the ability to create complex networks of companies and exploit legal loopholes. Registering companies in Cyprus allowed him to conceal the true owners and beneficiaries of these companies. Such schemes, for now, help Izmaylov minimize the risks of criminal prosecution.

Can One Stay in the Shadows?

Amid all recent events, Nikita Izmaylov is trying to stay in the shadows… But then his ex-wife, Tatyana Bondarchuk-Izmaylova, with whom he lived for over 10 years, stepped into the spotlight.

During their marriage, they had three children. And the ex-wife came out of the shadows when Mr. Izmaylov met another woman.

Tatyana Bondarchuk, screenshot from youtube.com

It was Tatyana Bondarchuk who managed the Eat Easy project. But the company went bankrupt as soon as the couple parted ways.

And Izmaylov, who is loudly accused of both fraudulent schemes and ties to Russia, began actively scrubbing the internet of mentions of his personal life. He also tried to erase all traces of the divorce and non-payment of child support for their three children.

Tatyana Bondarchuk accused her ex-husband of failing to pay child support for their shared children.

She made this statement on Instagram.

"In October 2022, I set my boundaries. I refused to put up with certain things, stopped adjusting, directly said ’no,’ and for the first time expressed everything I thought to his wife. And from that moment, a different game began. Psychological harassment.

Manipulation with money. Pressure through financial restrictions. When I entered a new relationship — he completely lost control. And what used to come as an obligation to the children became a tool for pressure."

Tatyana Bondarchuk

Tatyana Bondarchuk is both the founder and the visionary behind the company Eat Easy (delivery of balanced nutrition), which developed with Nikita Izmaylov’s money. Indeed, the company closed down after funding issues arose.

Tatyana Bondarchuk-Izmaylova has an interesting biography: she has long been in business. She lived and worked in Portugal, the UK, and Bali. She served as general manager at the Platinum Spa Resort.

This is detailed on her LinkedIn page.

And, apparently, it was Tatyana Bondarchuk-Izmaylova who pulled the trigger that set off a series of troubles in her ex-husband’s life.

By the way, many major players in the market began distancing themselves from Izmaylov’s projects after more than 20 searches were conducted at Nikita Izmaylov’s offices. After all, as early as April 2023, Ukrainian law enforcement pointed to the possible involvement of Nikita Izmaylov — a Russian citizen who holds a Ukrainian passport and previously served as financial director of Parimatch — in the legalization of cash flows through Sportbank structures.

Father of Many Children Nikita Izmaylov

Today, as glossy magazines write, Nikita Izmaylov already has four children, as he remarried.

Izmaylov remains a fervent advocate of a healthy lifestyle and a sports enthusiast: he still participates in challenging marathons.

But when will this "running track" lead him to the finish line?

Author: Maria Sharapova