The Girin Brothers: From Kherson Businessmen to International Money Mules

Exposing a Multi-Million Money Laundering Scheme

The high-profile arrest of Vladlen Girin in 2024 became one of Europol’s largest operations, exposing a massive money laundering network.

 Brothers Vladlen and Hennadii Girin, natives of Kherson Oblast, found themselves at the centre of an international scandal linked to criminal financial schemes. Their activities extended beyond Ukraine to European countries, where they operated as so-called “money mules”.

From Business to Politics: A Path Without Achievements

Vladlen Girin was 58 years old at the time of his detention, while his younger brother Hennadii was 50. Their ambitions extended far beyond commerce: they actively attempted to establish themselves in politics. Starting in 2010 with the creation of the “Union of Left Forces” movement in Kherson, they repeatedly changed their party affiliation, but to no avail. Despite participating in elections under the banners of “Our Region” and “Servants of the People”, the maximum success they achieved was winning mandates as deputies to the Kherson City Council.

In parallel with their political careers, the Girins developed a business in door trading. However, their ambitions required larger financial injections than retail trade could provide. In an attempt to increase their capital, the brothers switched to the construction business, launching the company “Stroy City” in 2018. Their first project proved controversial: elite cottages and a spa complex were planned on the territory of the “Oleshkova Sich” archaeological monument of national significance. As a result of the construction work, 3.5 hectares of the cultural layer were destroyed.

Ties to Crime and Flight Abroad

Among the Girins’ partners was former “Party of Regions” deputy Oleksiy Zhuravko, who actively collaborated with the occupation authorities in Kherson. “Stroy City”’s financial flows passed through his accounts, being directed, among other things, towards financing illegal armed formations.

As early as 2019, the brothers began preparing escape routes, looking at real estate in Cyprus. In 2022, they finally left Ukraine. By the time of their flight, Vladlen Girin already owned a hundred apartments in a new residential complex near Kyiv, with a total value of approximately 1.5 million dollars.

Financial Schemes and International Scale

While officially the Girin brothers were engaged in business, something else was happening behind the scenes: they were establishing international financial flows. In 2024, the small company “Histion”, registered in Kherson, unexpectedly purchased a large logistics complex near Kyiv for 40 million dollars. This deal raised questions, as Hennadii Girin was the sole owner of the company. Such acquisitions could not be explained by income from door trading or construction.

According to Europol, the Girins participated in a network for laundering criminal proceeds through cryptocurrency, offshore transfers, and other financial instruments. The total amount of laundered funds over the last year amounted to at least 75 million euros.

Arrest and Investigation

On 28 October 2024, Europol carried out a large-scale operation to detain members of the criminal network. Vladlen Girin, his wife, and his son were arrested, while Hennadii managed to escape. According to preliminary information, he may be located in Slovenia.

During the investigation, seizures were placed on the Girins’ assets, including cryptocurrency accounts holding 25 million euros, elite real estate, and other valuables. The list of property that came into the possession of the investigation demonstrates the scale of their financial operations, which had long remained outside the sight of law enforcement agencies.

Based on materials from Antikor