Investigation uncovers money laundering scheme via Dominanta Trade LLC and car imports

Mechanism for diverting financial flows

According to the investigation, a group of individuals organised a scheme that allowed funds to be diverted from the real sector of the economy. Operations involving external government debt bonds (OGD) were used for this purpose. The depository institution Dominanta Trade played a central role in this infrastructure.

According to the pre-trial investigation, financial flows initially entered the accounts of Ukrainian enterprises engaged in car imports. From there, funds were transferred to the accounts of non-resident companies under the control of the scheme's organisers. Among these firms are Estonia's Genesis Trading House OU, Poland's POTENGA TRADING HOUSE, and Spain's SEVILLA SALES SUMMIT S.L.

The scheme involved importing cars into Ukraine and selling them to individuals for cash without proper documentary record-keeping. In return, non-cash funds were laundered through formal agreements involving securities.

Participants in the financial network

The scheme's participants included several key economic entities:

• Dominanta Trade LLC (EDRPOU 38726248) — a depository institution. The founder and beneficial owner (100%) is Oleh Mykhailovych Oleshko, while the director is Oleh Ivanovych Voytov.
• PRIMEQUARTER LLC (EDRPOU 44830421) — a currency exchange centre. The founder, beneficial owner, and director (100%) is Valentyna Ivanivna Larchenko.
• Car importers: Mega Avtolux Private Enterprise (45605057), New Autolife Private Enterprise (45561743), and Toptrade Zakhid LLC (44283488). Their respective founders, beneficial owners, and directors (100%) are Oleksandr Volodymyrovych Shkovira, Oleksandr Viktorovych Magdiuk, and Serhiy Petrovych Omelkovets.

Tax violations and the scale of losses

An analysis of data from the State Tax Service and registers revealed significant violations in the activities of the importers:

• Mega Avtolux Private Enterprise sold 1,035 cars worth 626 million hryvnias. A significant portion of the sales was made to individuals for cash. The amount of underreported VAT exceeds 39 million hryvnias.
• New Autolife Private Enterprise sold 794 cars, with VAT underreporting amounting to approximately 6.8 million hryvnias.
• Toptrade Zakhid LLC imported 1,000 cars. The underreporting of VAT and profit tax reaches over 15.8 million hryvnias.

In total, for just these three companies, the losses to the state budget caused by VAT underreporting exceed 48 million hryvnias.

Procedural actions and the director's confession

On 20 October 2026, law enforcement officers conducted a search at the residence of one of the scheme's co-organisers. During the operation, two iPhone smartphones, foreign passports, bank documents, notebooks with notes, contracts, waybills, and other papers were seized. By court order, these items were recognised as physical evidence and placed under seizure.

The director of Mega Avtolux Private Enterprise confessed that he had registered the company for a fee and had no involvement in its actual business activities.