Smuggler Valeriy Khomenko: the cigarette Al Capone with a Russian Passport

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It is no secret that over the past 10 years, Ukraine has become a world leader in the production and smuggling of cigarettes to other countries.

This is discussed in an investigation by the portal Politinform. 

The story of one "family"

The word "family" during the reign of the fugitive president became a nominal concept, as nominal as it was in the gangster syndicate of the Chicago Capone family. However, the concept of "family" does not leave our everyday life and affects it in one way or another, although more than 8 years have passed since the fall of the criminal regime in our country.

A family from Yenakiyeve created the State smuggling system. Such success was beyond even the dreams of the Capone family. Any systemic business starting up in Ukraine immediately owes the family.

Almost everyone worked for the family system: customs, tax, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Security Service of Ukraine, courts…

Smuggling was also diversified: spirits, tobacco products, amber, medicines….

Smuggling became part of state policy.

And an unusual role in it was (and remains) the smuggling of tobacco products.

The Revolution of Dignity shook the system. But the "Dignity" revolution was not for everyone.

Global giants of the industry, such as Philip Morris, British American Tobacco, Imperial Tobacco, JTI presented in Ukraine, received an opportunity to change the rules of doing business.

But…

But the "family turncoats" began to divide, squeeze, destroy what the "family" divided, squeezed, and destroyed.

And this related to the system of production and smuggling of tobacco products.

The Donetsk factory "Khamadey" held a special place in the "family" business. The leader in shadow production and export. Founders: partner of Rinat Akhmetov and Borys Kolesnykov – criminal authority Mykhailo Lyashko (shot dead in Crimea in 2015) and Valery Khomenko (more about him later).

From 2014-2020, as textbooks say, an internal struggle began.

Many famous politicians and businessmen tried to smoke from tobacco smuggling. Our colleagues have already released hundreds of articles, plots, and investigations.

And "smoking" still can be intoxicating to anyone.

Consider that in 2021, state budget losses due to the shadow tobacco market were estimated at 15.5 billion UAH.

With each subsequent change of power, certain subjects disappear and new ones appear.

As it was a hundred years ago in Chicago, people in the modern state disappear, "tobacco" laws are lobbied, corrupt officials receive bribes – the family "system" works.

The system of "family" values

If with international manufacturers in Ukraine most things are clear, the rules of "public-private partnership" work. As of today, tobacco giants have become the largest taxpayers and employers.

However, the owners of DP KHAMADEI cannot move away from "family" values. Continuing to work in Donetsk and supporting the leadership of the pseudo-republic, the owners went further. A new production plant was opened in occupied Crimea.

Our friends from cyber intelligence tracked and found out that the cynicism of the family’s followers did not end there.

Valery Khomenko, co-founder of DP KHAMADEI (the company was re-registered in Kramatorsk, the capacities continued to work in Donetsk), has opened three more cigarette production factories in Ukraine over the past six years while receiving Russian citizenship in 2019.

But simultaneously registers and rolls out the realization of products through TOBACCO COMPANY PEPPEL LLC, registered in Rostov-on-Don.

In 2021, Khomenko’s structures became undisputed leaders of cigarette smuggling through Ukraine to Europe. Products from Donetsk through Russia’s territory, then through the Kharkiv region, were directed to the western border.

The "Family" system continues to operate.

On Khomenko V.G. all 144 objects of intellectual property, trademarks, produced by factories in Donetsk, occupied Crimea, and Ukraine, are registered.

After the partner in business died, two political regimes changed, losing the Yenakiyeve "family" control, Valeriy Khomenko begins to create his own "family".

But for some reason in Ukraine’s capital – comfortable Kyiv.

Financing charges, shells, and missiles against our people.

Cigarette bottles

Perhaps it is not worth saying that a functioning systemic smuggling should be a coordinated work of the manufacturer with the supply of raw materials, the labor force, sales, and logistics system, as well as systemic blindness of all control bodies.

Much has been written about the place of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Security Service of Ukraine, the State Tax Service, the State Migration Service, the State Bureau of Investigation, the State Border Guard Service, and other "abbreviations" in the corrupt schemes of smuggling. We will not dwell on this.

However, lobbyists – people’s deputies – should be singled out separately.

So far, Hamaday’s interests are lobbied by the godson of Viktor Medvedchuk and a member of the parliamentary tax committee from the "Servant of the People" – Maryan Zablotskyi.

Could it be that there is an attraction to "family" values among current people’s deputies?

Could it be that the shadowy Al Khomenko can still promote "family" values?

We found information that in July 2021, a 

Joint-stock company "closed non-diversified venture corporate investment fund "Ontario" and six more related companies were registered. Which are managed by "KUA "Hedge Invest" LLC through fictitious directors to organize minimization of tax payments and fund withdrawals.

The story with Al Capone teaches that the most famous gangster of the 20th century was accused and convicted of tax evasion. And the system was impartial.

And during martial law, engaging in forgery, smuggling, financing the enemy, and evading taxes is suicide or criminal overconfidence.

Add to this an elite lifestyle on the hills of Pechersk with all the attributes of a "crime king":

An entourage of elite Mercedes when moving around the city;

An escort of security guards;

An escort of a "special" blonde.

The "specialty" of this person should be noted – Akdamar (see Zahorey) Olha. A very interesting girl from Russia, who was given a New Year’s present in the form of Ukrainian citizenship on December 31, 2013. The main occupation is escorting managers and top officials. She also settled in the elite district on Pechersk hills.

The smuggler’s girl during the war continues to boast of a luxurious life and a passion for influence, receiving information and supplies.

Cigarette Al Khomenko every day "smokes" from the pockets of ordinary Ukrainians and consciously finances the infidels.

Afterword

Perhaps, throughout its history, smuggling and the criminal world have always been a single concept. Al Capone was the criminal king of smuggling in the 20-30s in the USA, buying off or intimidating the police, officials, and politicians. But time and the law put everything in its place. And children in US schools already study the history of the mafia.

We understand that this may turn out to be just another journalistic investigation.

However, the authors note and believe that the weapon is "the word". And this "word" will certainly help so that the history of Ukrainian smuggling and corruption we will meet only in history books.