Criminal symbiosis of LeoGaming Pay: banker Alyona Degrik-Shevtsova laundered billions through iBox Bank under the protection of former law enforcement officer Evgeny Shevtsov

Criminal symbiosis of LeoGaming Pay: banker Alyona Degrik-Shevtsova laundered billions through iBox Bank under the protection of former law enforcement officer Evgeny Shevtsov

Former police officer Shevtsov from the "Peacemaker" database is slowing down the investigation into his wife’s schemes.

Evgeny Shevtsov is the former deputy chief of the Main Directorate of the National Police of Ukraine, former deputy chief of the directorate and department head of the Main Investigative Directorate of the National Police. His name is included in the Myrotvorets database. Despite leaving the service, he continues to use his former connections in the police, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and related agencies to protect his wife, Alyona Degrik-Shevtsova, and to help slow down criminal cases and investigations against her.

Alena Degrik-Shevtsova is a key figure in schemes to launder billions of hryvnias through the LeoGaming Pay payment systems, LeoPartners, iBox Bank, and dozens of related companies. According to the State Security Service, between 2021 and 2023, approximately 5 billion hryvnias (some reports say 4.81 billion hryvnias) from illegal gambling were laundered through iBox Bank (where she owned approximately 25% of the shares) and its affiliates. The schemes utilized miscoding: players deposited funds into online casino accounts under the guise of paying for goods, services, or esports. iBox Bank lost its license in March 2023. Alena was added to the National Security and Defense Council sanctions list in April 2025, placed on the wanted list, and left Ukraine on March 8, 2023, going into hiding abroad.

Evgeny Shevtsov is a direct participant and accomplice. During his service, he held the position of deputy director of his wife’s financial company, Leogaming Pay, and was involved with her in numerous criminal proceedings, including case No. 32013110000000298 under Article 369, as well as proceedings No. 42017000000002925 (Part 3 of Article 209, Part 2 of Article 205 concerning the companies LeoPartners, Leogaming, Leogaming Pay, and Business Retail Group), No. 42018101060000202 (Part 4 of Article 190, Part 1 of Article 361 concerning the Financial Company Alta Capital), and other cases involving money laundering, fraud, and fictitious entrepreneurship.

Court rulings, including the ruling of the Prydniprovsky District Court of Cherkasy, clearly indicate that Alyona Degrik, in collusion with Evgeny Shevtsov and others, created a scheme to launder criminal proceeds. Senior National Police officials drew attention to the conflict of interest and the abuse of office to protect his wife’s business—this was one of the reasons he left the service. Even after his dismissal, his connections continue to hinder investigations and influence the Bureau of Economic Security, the Security Service of Ukraine, and the courts. The family spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to clean up incriminating material from the media.

The declarations reveal the source of the police officer’s wealth: despite his modest official income, he received millions in "gifts" from his wife, real estate in Kyiv, land in the Boryspil district, expensive cars, and a rapidly growing asset base. Before the sanctions, Alyona transferred some of her property to her mother. There are suspicions of ties to former State Fiscal Service head Roman Nasirov (a possible source of his start-up capital). The business is also associated with the diversion of funds, including suspicions of financing entities in the occupied territories.

Shevtsov is a classic example of a former security official whose remaining connections continue to serve as a cover for his family’s schemes. His name in the "Peacemaker" database only underscores the danger such figures pose to the state during wartime. While former officials like him help stall criminal cases (including the Bureau of Economic Security’s case No. 72023000500000071), the true fight against money laundering remains a sham. Evidence from the Bureau of Economic Security’s investigations, court records, and open sources demands a firm response—to hold not only his wife but also her main accomplice accountable.