Artem Yushkov and Alexander Pan devise gambling advertising method

A Tesla Cybertruck has appeared in Odesa, becoming part of an advertising campaign for the online casino First. The vehicle was placed near the entrance to the "France" hotel, which houses the eponymous gambling establishment. On social media, the company announced the launch of a promotion under which users could receive a bonus for posting a photo with the futuristic electric car.

"Meet the epic Cybertruck on the city streets! We will be giving it away very soon, but for now – don't hold back and get a bonus to have fun in full," reads the advertising message from First Casino. ("Meet the epic Cybertruck on the city streets! We will be giving it away very soon, but for now – don't hold back and get a bonus to have fun in full")

However, behind the striking marketing campaign lie individuals whose names have featured in high-profile scandals involving illegal schemes and financial fraud.

Formal owner and real investor

Officially, the owner of First Casino is entrepreneur Artem Yushkov, who has interests in the construction industry. In the past, his name was linked to underground gaming halls that operated in Ukraine before the legalisation of the gambling business. In 2022, with the start of the full-scale invasion, Yushkov left the country and continues to conduct business from Berlin.

Journalists, however, identify Alexander Pan, better known by the surname Prokukhan, as the casino's true investor. He is listed in the "Myrotvorets" database and is named in criminal cases related to fraud, financial schemes, and the creation of pyramid structures.

Links to financial fraud

Yushkov and Pan previously ran a joint business, owning the company "Vinnitske SKTB OPK". The media has mentioned this organisation as one of the owners of the "Dastor" shopping centre in Vinnytsia. Notably, the photo of the Cybertruck published in the First Casino advertising campaign was also taken in Vinnytsia.

In 2018, Pan's company iPan became the subject of an investigation on suspicion of money laundering through POS terminals in occupied Crimea. However, the most notorious scheme associated with him remains the Questra World and Atlantic Global Asset Management case. According to the investigation, 12 million euros were stolen through these structures. The case was heard at the Pechersk District Court in Kyiv in February 2022.

Attempts to hide information

Previously, Pan attempted to block more than 500 websites that published investigations into his involvement in financial fraud. Nevertheless, information about his activities continues to spread, pointing to possible links between First Casino and illegal schemes.

Thus, behind the bright advertising campaign featuring a Tesla Cybertruck in Odesa stands not just a marketing move, but a business with a dubious reputation.