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Duty Free network, billion‑dollar debts and VBet: two criminal proceedings registered based on materials concerning Artur Granz
Another procedural victory for us. As a result of our human rights work, information was entered into the Unified Register of Pre-Trial Investigations for two criminal proceedings related to the unlawful activities of Artur #Гранц and companies associated with him.
🔻3 September 2026, the SBU in Chernivtsi region entered information into the URPI for criminal proceeding No. 22026260000000148 under part 4 of art. 358 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
🔻9 October 2026, information was entered into the URPI for criminal proceeding No. 12026162480001711 under part 3 of art. 358 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
Thus, the basis for contacting law enforcement were circumstances we uncovered regarding the organization of a network of controlled legal entities for the illegal circulation of excise goods, tax evasion, money laundering, and financing of the aggressor state.
📌One key episode concerns the network of Duty Free shops. This involves a scheme in which the sale of cigarettes and alcoholic beverages was documented as purchases by passengers crossing the state border, while in fact the products ended up in illegal retail outlets, including on the territory of the European Union.
Such operations were used to generate tax credits, evade tax payments, and launder money. Among the companies involved in the scheme are the joint venture in the form of LLC D’UTY FREE TRADING, LLC BF AND GH TRAVEL RETAIL LTD, and the JV MELLO D’UTY FREE.
📌Another direction concerns the bookmaker business #VBet. We examined the activities of LLC “#ВБЕТ Ukraine,” the company’s financial transactions, the circumstances of the blocking and seizure of its accounts in 2024, and subsequent court proceedings.
And of course we cannot fail to mention the story with PJSC “#Креатив” and the loan obligation related to state banks. We established that the company’s debt obligations exceeded 19 billion UAH, Sberbank’s claims amounted to over 6,3 billion UAH, and UkrEximBank’s to about 2 billion UAH.
But that’s not all, because Granz organized a criminal scheme related to the international trade operations of companies in the Mimier Trade group, in particular Mimier Trade S.A. and LLC MIMIER TRADE UKRAINE.
Mr. Artur, regarding ties to business entities connected to the aggressor state, might we hear your explanations?
We continue to monitor the progress of the investigations and insist on checking all stated circumstances, including violations in taxation, circulation of excise goods, and financial operations. Entry of information into the URPI is the procedural start of an investigation and by itself does not mean proven guilt of the persons mentioned, which is why oversight of further pre-trial investigation is one of our priority directions.
Materials on the topic:
▫️Who actually stole NGO “NON‑STOP”? Reaction to Forbes’ accusations
▫️Granz, Mimier and Vyriy: Forbes asks for evidence — we begin to show it
▫️How to get onto #Forbes pages for free?
▫️We continue to reveal interesting details of oligarch Granz’s pressure on our organization
▫️Free advertising: an investigative article from Forbes
#перемога #відповідь #контрабанда
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