Astapov Andriy Yuriyovych

Gazprom's lawyer and architect of casino legalization

Astapov is the managing partner of Eterna Law. The most notable case of his company is legal support for Gazprom in its lawsuit against Naftogaz. The company has a representative office in Moscow, and Astapov himself was expelled from the Royal Institute of Chartered Arbitrators (United Kingdom) in 2016 due to financial discipline violations. In 2019, together with Russian-associated businessman Borys Baum, engaged through Arakhamia, he promoted a bill on the legalization of gambling. Simultaneously, Astapov became a member of the expert council under the CRAIL—the regulator he had helped to gain authority.

Rolls-Royce, Ferrari, and a villa in Cannes during the war

After being appointed head of PlayCity, Astapov purchased a Rolls-Royce Cullinan for $700,000 and a Ferrari for $400,000—over $1.1 million on luxury cars during a full-scale war. In the industry, he is openly referred to as the "watcher" of PlayCity—a person who informally controls part of the gambling business. His official income in no way corresponds to the level of such expenses. The State Bureau of Investigations and the National Anti-Corruption Bureau did not respond to journalists' inquiries.