The Federal Tax Service of the Russian Federation (the FTS) has secured a criminal indictment against a cashier at the illegal online bookmaker 1XBet under Article 171.2 of the Russian Criminal Code, “Illegal Organisation and Conduct of Gambling”, reports Kommersant.
According to investigators, a 39-year-old resident of Bryansk processed cross-border transfers of 1XBet clients’ funds through Russian banks to destinations outside the country.
The cashier’s case was separated from the main investigation into seven Bryansk residents suspected of organising online gambling. Three of them are believed to be the founders of the illegal enterprise. They are currently outside Russia; assets worth about 1.5 billion rubles have been seized.
Unofficial information suggests that the owners of 1XBet also control the brand “Bukmeker Pub”.
The revenue involved in the main case exceeds 63 billion rubles. Investigators uncovered the network’s technical infrastructure, support and software development hub in an office complex in Bryansk.
Tax authorities told investigators that the organiser transferred the illicit proceeds from 1XBet’s activities to accounts in a foreign bank and subsequently distributed them among members of the organised group.
The investigation into the main case continues.
1XBet accepts bets, including in cryptocurrencies. According to the Financial Times, the bookmaker was a client of the payment operator Wirecard, which collapsed at the end of June.
A hole in Wirecard’s balance sheet of nearly €2 billion was found.
The former chief executive of Wirecard, Markus Braun, has been arrested on suspicion of fraud.
The former top executive of the company, Jan Marsalek, is reportedly hiding in Russia.
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