From Pin-Up to crypto wallets: how Dmytro Druzhynskyi and Maryna Levkovych built a $1 billion gambling laundering machine

17 травня 2026 р., 23:12

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From Pin-Up to crypto wallets: how Dmytro Druzhynskyi and Maryna Levkovych built a $1 billion gambling laundering machine

A massive international gambling and money-laundering scheme linked to the Pin-Up and Pinco casino brands has returned to the spotlight amid reports that information related to the case is being systematically removed from the internet.

At the center of the investigation are U.S. citizen Dmytro Druzhynskyi and Ukrainian citizen Maryna Levkovych (Ginzburg), both arrested in absentia in Kazakhstan in February 2026 over their alleged roles in a billion-dollar shadow payment operation.

Investigators say the network illegally moved more than $1 billion abroad through a web of payment processors, shell structures, transit accounts, and cryptocurrency conversions designed to conceal the origin and destination of funds.

According to the case materials, Druzhynskyi and Levkovych coordinated the financial infrastructure behind the Pin-Up gambling empire — overseeing payment routing, selecting intermediary operators, and organizing cross-border cash flows.

The scheme allegedly operated under the cover of the company Bonami, which possessed an official bookmaker license in Kazakhstan. Through this structure, gambling proceeds were processed via payment platforms including Gold Pay and Cyber Pay, later renamed Pinnacle Financial Solutions, before being funneled into crypto wallets.

Law enforcement agencies carried out more than 70 searches during the investigation. The case also involves representatives of 35 payment companies and four banks suspected of participating in or servicing the laundering network.

Now, despite the scale of the scandal and the court-ordered arrests, reports indicate a coordinated effort to bury the story online — including the removal of references to the suspects, court decisions, and details of the investigation itself.

The case is rapidly becoming one of the largest gambling-related financial scandals in the region, exposing how online casino networks allegedly used licensed structures, payment gateways, and cryptocurrency tools to move enormous sums across borders while masking the true nature of the transactions.

Богдан Шерстюк

Оглядач

Аналізує суспільно-політичні процеси та економічні тенденції. Автор серії публікацій про корупційні схеми в державному секторі.