The $886 Million Question: When Sports Sponsors Are International Fugitives
When FC Barcelona faces Paris Saint-Germain in a Champions League match, 1xBet logos flash across stadium LED boards, reaching hundreds of millions of viewers worldwide.1 What those viewers don’t know is that the men behind this global gambling empire are wanted criminals, hiding from international arrest warrants.
The 1xBet story exposes a fundamental flaw in sports marketing: how three Russian fugitives—including a former cybercrime police chief—built an $886 million gambling operation while simultaneously securing sponsorship deals with some of the world’s most prestigious football clubs.3
This investigation reveals how international organized crime infiltrated the heart of global sports, using the legitimacy of football’s biggest brands to launder both money and reputation on an unprecedented scale.
Executive Summary: What This Investigation Reveals
The evidence uncovered in this investigation paints a disturbing picture of how modern organized crime operates in plain sight:
The Criminal Foundation
Three Russian nationals built this empire, led by Sergey Karshkov—a former police major who was supposed to fight cybercrime, not orchestrate it.7 All three are now international fugitives.3
The Staggering Scale
Russian prosecutors documented over $886 million in illegal gambling revenue between 2014-2019.7 That’s more than the GDP of several small nations—all allegedly generated through criminal activity.
The Deception Network
A labyrinthine structure of shell companies across multiple jurisdictions, designed with one purpose: making it impossible for authorities to trace the money or hold anyone accountable.
The Global Crime Pattern
This isn’t about one country’s regulations. Evidence shows systematic illegal operations across continents—fraud in the Netherlands, sanctions violations in Ukraine, illegal content in the UK, and manufactured sporting events worldwide.
The Sports Connection
How did wanted criminals secure partnerships with Barcelona, PSG, Chelsea, and Liverpool? The answer reveals troubling gaps in due diligence that allowed criminal enterprises to buy legitimacy through sport.
Key Findings at a Glance
| Metric | Finding |
|---|---|
| Criminal Revenue | $886 million documented by prosecutors.7 |
| Fugitive Founders | 3 international arrest warrants issued.3 |
| Global Reach | 130+ countries across six continents.1 |
| Viewer Exposure | Millions exposed to criminal branding through sports |
“1xBet operates like the Wagner Group of sports betting.”
— Expert monitoring the Macolin Convention on sports integrity.18
The Central Question
How do international fugitives sponsor the world’s biggest football clubs while evading justice across multiple continents?
The Answer: By exploiting the very system designed to regulate them.
The Corporate Shell Game: How Fugitives Built a “Legitimate” Empire
When investigators attempted to trace 1xBet’s ownership, they uncovered a corporate structure so deliberately complex it could only have been designed by individuals anticipating law enforcement scrutiny.
The corporate architecture demonstrates sophisticated criminal planning. Every shell company, jurisdiction, and licensing arrangement serves a single purpose: ensuring accountability remains impossible when the scheme faces legal challenges.
From Russian Police Station to Cyprus Boardroom
The story begins in Bryansk, a small Russian city near the Ukrainian border, where a cybercrime police officer named Sergey Karshkov had an idea. Instead of fighting online criminals, what if he became one?.7
Publicly, 1xBet now presents itself as a respectable Cyprus-based company, complete with European Union domicile and international licensing.1 But this Mediterranean makeover masks a Russian criminal enterprise that simply moved its headquarters when the heat got too intense.
The geographic sleight of hand—from Bryansk police station to Cyprus boardroom—represents the foundational deception of the entire operation.
How the Deception Works: Three Layers of Criminal Protection
Layer 1: The Franchise Shield
1xBet doesn’t operate directly in most countries—it franchises its brand to local entities. In Nigeria, for example, Beaufortbet Nigeria Limited holds the licenses and takes the legal risk.1 When things go wrong, 1xBet simply points to the local operator: “Not our responsibility.”
This creates a legal firewall where the criminal masterminds remain untouchable while local businesses face the consequences of their activities.
Layer 2: The Affiliate Army
Over 100,000 affiliates worldwide promote 1xBet through 1xBet Partners.2 Many of these affiliates advertise on illegal streaming sites showing pirated movies and sports.7 When investigators traced this back to 1xBet, the company deployed a masterful deflection: blame the “third-party partners.”.11
It’s the perfect crime: profit from illegal advertising while maintaining plausible deniability when caught.
Layer 3: The Bankruptcy Escape Hatch
When 1xBet subsidiary 1xCorp M.V. refused to pay millions in legitimate winnings, authorities forced it into bankruptcy in both Curaçao and the Netherlands.3 For most companies, this would be catastrophic.
For 1xBet, this had no operational impact.
The parent company continued operating globally, completely unaffected. The subsidiary had served its purpose: absorbing legal and financial liability while protecting the core criminal enterprise.
The Perfect Crime Structure
This structure represents deliberate criminal design rather than business inefficiency. Every complexity serves a purpose: frustrating investigators, avoiding accountability, and ensuring operational continuity when individual components face legal action.
While legitimate businesses optimize for profit, 1xBet prioritized operational immunity from legal consequences.
Corporate Structure Overview
| Entity Name | Jurisdiction | Stated Purpose | Noted Controversies/Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1xBet (Brand) | Cyprus | Global Headquarters, International Operations | Founded by Russian fugitives; subject of numerous global investigations for illegal activities.3 |
| 1xCorp N.V. | Curaçao | Licensing Entity (Curaçao eGaming License) | Declared bankrupt for refusing to pay millions in winnings; continued operating despite bankruptcy.3 |
| Bookmaker Pub LLC | Russia | Operator of “1xStavka,” the legal Russian betting site | Founded by Dmitry Kazorin, one of the fugitive founders of the “illegal” 1xBet.12 |
| 1xStavka | Russia | ”Legal clone” of 1xBet for the Russian market | Operates with state permission despite its direct link to the wanted founders of its illegal counterpart.7 |
| Beaufortbet Nigeria Ltd. | Nigeria | Franchise operator for the Nigerian market | Creates a local legal entity, shielding the parent company from direct operational liability in Nigeria |
| 1xBet Partners | Global | Affiliate marketing program with over 100,000 partners | Used to advertise on illegal piracy websites, providing plausible deniability for the parent company.7 |
The Founders: When Police Become the Criminals They’re Supposed to Catch
The three men who built 1xBet represent everything troubling about post-Soviet organized crime: the complete blurring of lines between law enforcement, state power, and criminal enterprise. Their backgrounds reveal how 1xBet wasn’t fighting the system—it was the system, operating from within Russia’s security apparatus.
Meet the fugitives who turned sports sponsorship into criminal money laundering:
Sergey Karshkov: The Cybercrime Cop Who Became the Crime
The ideal criminal mastermind for an international online gambling operation would possess:
- Deep technical knowledge of cybercrime methods
- Insider understanding of law enforcement tactics
- Access to state protection from prosecution
- Experience in covering digital tracks
Sergey Karshkov was all of these things—because he was the police major supposed to stop crimes like the one he was building.7
As head of Bryansk’s cybercrime unit, Karshkov spent his days investigating illegal online operations. By night, according to prosecutors, he was creating the blueprint for what would become 1xBet. The irony is staggering: the cop investigating cybercriminals was simultaneously building the most sophisticated criminal gambling network in Russian history.
Karshkov’s position provided something invaluable: krysha, the Russian term for high-level protection. From day one, 1xBet operated not as a rogue criminal enterprise, but as an operation with apparent state connections.
Suspicious Death: In June 2023, Karshkov died at age 42 in a Swiss clinic, reportedly from a rare allergic reaction to MRI contrast fluid.8 Given the documented pattern of suspicious deaths among Russian businessmen with sensitive information, his death has attracted significant scrutiny from international investigators.14
Roman Semiokhin: The Political Connection
Every criminal enterprise needs someone who can open doors that should remain closed. Roman Semiokhin was that man for 1xBet.7
Described by local media as one of Bryansk’s most powerful figures, Semiokhin didn’t just build a business—he built a political protection network. His alleged connections included business ventures with the wife of a former Bryansk mayor and United Russia party deputy, creating a web of political insurance for the growing criminal operation.17
While Karshkov provided technical expertise and state security connections, Semiokhin ensured the operation had political cover at the highest levels of regional government.
Dmitry Kazorin: The Bridge Between Legal and Illegal
Dmitry Kazorin serves as the smoking gun that destroys 1xBet’s central defense: that its international and Russian operations are separate entities.3
Corporate records list Kazorin as a founder of Bookmaker Pub LLC, which operates the “legal” Russian betting site 1xStavka.12 The same man wanted internationally for illegal gambling is simultaneously running Russia’s “legitimate” version of the same operation.
This isn’t a coincidence—it’s a deliberate strategy to maintain access to the Russian market while operating internationally beyond Moscow’s direct jurisdiction.
The Great Escape: From Russia to Cyprus
In 2014, as Russian gambling regulations tightened and international scrutiny increased, all three founders made a coordinated move: they secured Cypriot citizenship and relocated their operation to the Mediterranean.9
This wasn’t a business decision—it was a criminal escape plan executed with the precision of a military operation. Overnight, they transformed from Russian criminals into European businessmen, complete with EU passports and international legitimacy.6
The Russian Paradox: Prosecuting Criminals While Protecting Their Business
The 1xBet case presents a striking paradox: the same Russian state that issued international arrest warrants for the founders simultaneously permits their “legal” gambling operation to sponsor state-linked football clubs and operate freely within Russia.
This arrangement suggests sophisticated coordination between criminal enterprise and state apparatus rather than bureaucratic oversight failure.
The Prosecution: $886 Million in Criminal Charges
In 2019, Russia’s Investigative Committee launched what appeared to be a serious crackdown. The charges were devastating:
| Charge Category | Amount/Details |
|---|---|
| Illegal Revenue | 63 billion rubles.7 ($886 million) |
| Arrest Warrants | International warrants for all three founders.3 |
| Seized Assets | 1.5 billion rubles.7 |
| Investigation Scope | Criminal enterprise allegations spanning five years.7 |
For most criminal organizations, this would be the end of the story. For 1xBet, it was just the beginning of a more complex arrangement.
The Protection: Business as Usual
While Russian prosecutors pursued the “illegal” international 1xBet operation, something remarkable happened: they simultaneously allowed a nearly identical “legal” operation called 1xStavka to flourish within Russia.7
Same founders. Same technology. Same business model. The only difference? One was labeled criminal, the other legitimate.
The Half-Billion Ruble Question: Dynamo Moscow
In the middle of a major criminal investigation, 1xBet did something audacious: it allegedly paid FC Dynamo Moscow over 500 million rubles for a sponsorship deal worth maybe 120 million rubles in market value.17
Dynamo Moscow isn’t just any football club—it has historical ties to Russian state security and is controlled by state-owned VTB Bank. This is essentially the state security apparatus’s football team.17
The suspicious payment structure: Market analysts estimated the sponsorship was worth approximately 120 million rubles. 1xBet allegedly paid over 500 million rubles—more than four times the market rate.17
Subsequent developments: The criminal case against the founders lost momentum. While prosecutors continued pursuing minor figures, the three fugitive founders effectively avoided serious consequences.
The timeline reveals a disturbing pattern: Was the 2020 Dynamo Moscow deal a commercial transaction or a half-billion-ruble protection payment? The evidence suggests investigators are asking the same question.
The Dual Structure
The simultaneous existence of the “illegal” international 1xBet and the “legal” Russian 1xStavka—both linked to the same fugitive founders—suggests a deliberate strategy. Corporate records show Dmitry Kazorin as a founder of both entities, contradicting claims of separation between the operations.12
This arrangement allowed the founders to maintain Russian market access through the licensed entity while operating internationally through structures beyond direct Russian jurisdiction. The pattern suggests transformation from a rogue criminal entity to what investigators describe as a “co-opted asset” operating with apparent state tolerance.
Global Crime Spree: How Fugitives Fooled the World
While football fans worldwide watched 1xBet logos flash across their screens during Barcelona and Chelsea matches, regulators across multiple continents were documenting something disturbing: the same criminal patterns repeating in country after country.
This wasn’t a Russian company occasionally breaking local rules. This was a coordinated global crime operation using sports sponsorship as cover for systematic illegal activity across six continents.
The evidence reveals a criminal enterprise that didn’t adapt its methods for different markets—it simply exported the same illegal playbook worldwide, confident that its sports sponsorships would provide enough legitimacy to evade serious scrutiny.
The UK Expose: When Premier League Clubs Realized They Were Advertising Crime
The 2019 Sunday Times investigation dropped like a bomb on English football. Reporters discovered that 1xBet—sponsor of Chelsea, Liverpool, and Tottenham—was offering a catalog of illegal content that violated virtually every UK gambling regulation:.3
- “Pornhub casino” games accessible to minors.3
- Betting on children’s sports including under-12 football.3
- Live streams of illegal cockfighting and animal cruelty.3
- Massive advertising presence on piracy sites streaming stolen content.7
The revelations triggered panic at the highest levels of English football.
The 48-Hour Meltdown
| Timeline | Event | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Hour 1 | UK Gambling Commission launches emergency investigation.3 | Regulatory crisis begins |
| Hour 6 | 1xBet’s UK operations suspended indefinitely.3 | Complete market shutdown |
| Hour 24 | Chelsea, Liverpool, and Tottenham issue emergency statements.11 | Club panic response |
| Hour 48 | All three Premier League clubs terminate contracts immediately.11 | Mass contract terminations |
The clubs faced a nightmare scenario: potential criminal prosecution for advertising operations that regulators deemed illegal. The terminations were so rushed that some clubs paid significant penalties to escape their contracts immediately.
1xBet’s response revealed their criminal playbook: When confronted with evidence of systematic illegal advertising, they deployed the classic deflection—blame “third-party networks or partners.”.11 This defense might work for occasional violations, but not when the illegal content was integrated into 1xBet’s core platform and marketing strategy.
Content Creation and Affiliate Marketing
1xBet’s global marketing strategy includes extensive advertising on websites that illegally stream pirated content. The company’s affiliate program, 1xBet Partners, encompasses over 100,000 affiliates worldwide, many of whom place advertisements on illegal streaming sites.7
“Ghost Games” Investigation: In 2024, Bellingcat investigations revealed 1xBet was hosting thousands of live streams of amateur sporting events, including youth competitions.21 These “ghost games” often featured the same players representing different teams and included participants as young as 14 years old.3 The investigation traced connections between these facilities and Russian state-linked organizations.22
Customer Payment Disputes
1xBet faces numerous allegations regarding customer payment disputes. Consumer complaint platforms document cases of withheld winnings, accounts blocked after large wins, and funds trapped in lengthy “security reviews.”.23
Bankruptcy as Business Strategy: These disputes culminated in the bankruptcy of 1xBet’s subsidiary 1xCorp M.V. in both Curaçao and the Netherlands, triggered by its refusal to pay millions in legitimate winnings.3 The parent company continued operating globally despite its subsidiary’s bankruptcy, suggesting the structure was designed to shield the main operation from financial liabilities.
Global Regulatory Actions
The global and recurring nature of these actions is undeniable, as shown by the formal responses from various national authorities:
| Jurisdiction | Date | Action Taken | Allegations/Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Russia | 2020 | Criminal Case, International Arrest Warrants | Illegal organization of gambling, generating over 63 billion rubles in illicit income.7 |
| United Kingdom | 2019 | License Suspension, Sponsorship Terminations | Promoting “Pornhub casino,” betting on children’s sports, cockfighting, advertising on illegal sites.3 |
| Netherlands/Curaçao | 2022-2023 | Bankruptcy Declaration (1xCorp M.V.) | Systemic refusal to pay millions of euros in legitimate winnings to players.3 |
| Ukraine | 2022 | License Revocation, Sanctions | Control by citizens of an “aggressor state” (Russia); posing a national security threat.13 |
| Morocco | 2023 | Criminal Investigation | Operating an illegal gambling enterprise |
The Ukrainian Controversy: Licensing and Security Concerns
In March 2022, one month after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, 1xBet secured gambling licenses through a Ukrainian shell company called “Your Betting Company” LLC.17 The timing and circumstances of this licensing raised significant national security concerns among Ukrainian officials and the public.
The Licensing Controversy
Ukraine’s Commission for the Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries (KRAIL) issued licenses to “Your Betting Company” LLC to operate the 1xBet brand in March 2022. This decision sparked public outrage given the Russian origins of 1xBet’s founders and the timing amid the ongoing invasion.
Public pressure culminated in a petition that reached President Volodymyr Zelensky, who ordered an investigation.13 By September 2022, KRAIL revoked both licenses after Ukraine’s Bureau of Economic Security provided evidence that 1xBet was controlled by Russian citizens—information the applicants had allegedly concealed.13
Intelligence and Security Concerns
International intelligence experts, including InformNapalm, suggested that gambling platforms can serve as valuable intelligence-gathering tools. Such platforms collect extensive personal and financial data that could potentially be used for intelligence purposes, including identifying financially vulnerable individuals for recruitment.25
Ukrainian officials expressed concern that 1xBet’s operations could facilitate data collection on Ukrainian citizens during wartime. The potential access to financial profiles, behavioral patterns, and personal information raised national security questions about Russian-linked entities operating in Ukraine.25
Asset Seizure and Global Implications
Following the license revocation, Ukraine’s High Anti-Corruption Court ordered confiscation of nearly UAH 2 billion from Royal Pay Europe, a Latvian company identified as a financial facilitator for 1xBet.24
The Ukrainian case highlighted broader questions about 1xBet’s global operations and data collection practices across the numerous countries where it operates, particularly in strategically important regions such as Africa and Latin America.18
Patterns of Modern Transnational Crime
Analyzing 1xBet’s structure and operations reveals characteristics associated with modern transnational organized crime, particularly the post-Soviet model that blends criminal enterprise with state apparatus and legitimate business structures.
While no direct connection to traditional Russian crime syndicates like the Solntsevskaya Bratva has been documented, 1xBet’s structure and operations exhibit characteristics of modern transnational organized crime that has evolved beyond traditional models.28
Contemporary organized crime often operates through seemingly legitimate corporate structures while maintaining connections to state apparatus. The evidence suggests 1xBet demonstrates several key characteristics of this evolved model:
State Security Connections
The enterprise was co-founded by Sergey Karshkov, a high-ranking official from Russia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs cybercrime division.7 This suggests the organization originated from within state security apparatus rather than in opposition to it, reflecting patterns seen in modern organized crime where criminal enterprises maintain connections to state structures.30
Corruption and State Co-option
The alleged resolution of criminal charges through a massively inflated sponsorship payment to FSB-linked FC Dynamo Moscow demonstrates how criminal organizations can potentially neutralize law enforcement through corruption, transforming from fugitive entities to protected assets.17
Transnational Criminal Operations
1xBet’s global operations allegedly include:
- Illegal gambling in unlicensed jurisdictions
- Systematic customer fraud.23
- Intellectual property violations through piracy partnerships.7
- Creation of fraudulent content through manufactured sporting events.21
The company operates through complex networks of shell companies across multiple jurisdictions, a structure designed to frustrate regulatory oversight and legal accountability.
Potential State Utility
The Ukrainian case suggests gambling platforms can serve dual purposes, potentially functioning as intelligence-gathering tools while maintaining plausible deniability.25 This reflects how modern organized crime can serve state interests while maintaining operational independence.
Modern transnational organized crime has evolved beyond traditional models, operating through corporate structures that blur lines between legitimate business, criminal enterprise, and state apparatus.30
Analysis and Implications
Based on extensive examination of regulatory actions, court proceedings, journalistic investigations, and intelligence reports, 1xBet presents characteristics that extend far beyond typical gambling regulation violations.
The evidence indicates an organization founded by individuals now subject to international arrest warrants, operating through complex corporate structures designed to obscure ownership and frustrate oversight. The pattern of regulatory violations across multiple jurisdictions, combined with allegations of customer fraud and questionable content practices, suggests systematic rather than isolated problems.
Key Evidence Summary: Founded by a former Russian cybercrime police chief and associates who are now international fugitives,.7 the company allegedly neutralized major criminal prosecution through questionable financial arrangements.17 The Ukrainian case further suggests potential intelligence-gathering capabilities that elevate concerns from commercial to national security levels.25
Implications for Stakeholders
The findings have significant implications for various stakeholders:
Sports Organizations and Sponsors
Risk Assessment: Partnership with 1xBet carries substantial reputational and legal risks.
Enhanced Due Diligence Requirements:
- Ultimate beneficial ownership investigation
- Review of documented regulatory violations
- Assessment of state security connections
Precedent: Several major sports organizations have already terminated relationships following regulatory investigations.11, .20
Financial Institutions
Enhanced Monitoring: Transactions involving 1xBet and associated entities warrant enhanced due diligence given:
- Documented bankruptcies.3
- Operations in high-risk jurisdictions
- Potential state connections
Red Flag Indicators: Money laundering patterns, systematic fraud, and sanctions evasion.
Regulators
Structural Vulnerabilities: 1xBet’s franchise and affiliate models require careful scrutiny as potential mechanisms to circumvent regulatory oversight.
Precedent Cases: The patterns observed in the UK, Netherlands, and Ukraine provide valuable precedents for other jurisdictions.3, .13
Law Enforcement
Holistic Approach: Investigations should consider 1xBet’s operations comprehensively rather than focusing solely on gambling violations.
Areas of Concern:
- International money laundering
- Systematic fraud
- Intellectual property crimes
- Potential intelligence-gathering activities
Critical Requirement: International cooperation is essential given the transnational nature of the alleged criminal enterprise.
The Verdict: When Sports Became a Criminal Laundromat
The 1xBet investigation exposes critical vulnerabilities in global sports integrity: how international criminals can acquire legitimacy through the very institutions designed to uphold sporting values.
Three Russian fugitives transformed sports sponsorship into a reputation laundering mechanism while operating criminal enterprises across six continents. Every Barcelona-PSG match featuring 1xBet logos exposed hundreds of millions of viewers to criminal advertising without their knowledge.
The Larger Warning
This case exposes critical vulnerabilities in the global sports ecosystem:
Systemic Failures Identified
| Vulnerability | Evidence | Implication |
|---|---|---|
| Due Diligence Gaps | Major clubs failed to discover sponsors were wanted criminals | Sports organizations prioritize revenue over background verification |
| Jurisdictional Exploitation | Criminal enterprises operate across countries with reduced accountability | Regulatory gaps enable transnational crime |
| Sports-washing Success | Association with prestigious clubs provided unattainable credibility | Criminal enterprises can acquire respectability through sports |
What Happens Next
As investigations continue across multiple jurisdictions, the 1xBet case has already triggered fundamental changes in how sports organizations evaluate potential partners. But questions remain about whether these reforms can prevent the next criminal enterprise from buying its way into sports legitimacy.
Current Status:
- The three fugitive founders remain at large
- Their global gambling empire continues operating in dozens of countries
- Their story serves as a master class in how modern organized crime adapts to digital opportunities while hiding behind legitimate business structures
The Ultimate Lesson: When international criminals can sponsor the world’s biggest football clubs while evading justice, the regulatory system reveals fundamental vulnerabilities that criminal enterprises are designed to exploit.
The 1xBet case demonstrates how sophisticated criminal enterprises operate within legitimate business structures, deliberately obscuring the distinction between legal commerce and organized crime.
Methodology Note
This investigation represents a comprehensive analysis of publicly available information regarding 1xBet’s operations and associations. The findings are based on documented evidence from regulatory actions, court proceedings, journalistic investigations, and open-source intelligence reports from 30 independent sources across multiple jurisdictions.