700 thousand for closing a criminal case and 50 thousand for a license: "Premium Finance" exchange offices caught in large-scale corruption and money laundering

In January 2026, the National Bank of Ukraine for the first time published a list of significant financial institutions. It included 53 companies, among them LLC «Premium Finance». The company is among the top ten leaders in the currency exchange market. At the same time, it is involved in several criminal cases, including suspected large-scale tax evasion, legalization of virtual assets without permits, and shadow currency exchange. Among the array of cases, there are several related to attempts to resolve problematic issues through «the right» people for large sums of money.

LLC «Premium Finance» was established in 2015. Its main activity is the provision of financial services, particularly currency exchange. The main beneficial owners are Viktor Kysilyov from Kyiv and Olena Bondar, originally from Donetsk region. The company is registered in a high-rise building in the Holosiivskyi district of the capital. Viktor Kysilyov is also registered at the same address.

The financial statements of «Premium Finance» for recent years are impressive. For example, in 2023, the company increased its revenue by 514.91%, in 2024 – by 290.38%, and for the first three quarters of 2025, the revenue reached nearly 534 million hryvnias. While in the first half of the year, according to NBU data, «Premium Finance» had 244 exchange points, information from the official website now indicates more than 450.

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Along with financial indicators, the judicial history of the company, which made it to the list of significant financial institutions, is also striking.

Since December 2022, a criminal cfase has been ongoing against LLC «Premium Finance» under the articles «illegal actions with transfer documents and payment cards», «legalization of funds obtained through criminal means», and «tax evasion». The case is being handled by the Office of the Prosecutor General with the support of the Bureau of Economic Security.

During the pre-trial investigation, it was established that from January 1, 2023, to the present, illegal activities of a number of controlled legal entities, including LLC «Premium Finance», and individuals were organized. These activities were aimed at providing services for the exchange (legalization) of cryptocurrency into fiat money without the appropriate permits from the National Bank and without reflecting these operations in accounting and tax records.

The investigation revealed that a group of individuals used the details of these companies, including LLC «Premium Finance», to cover up the conversion of funds and cryptocurrency into cash through illegally operating exchange points. In this way, the perpetrators evaded tax payments.

To carry out criminal activities, the suspects used Telegram bots to receive exchange requests. After that, the client was sent a password, which had to be provided at the location of the illegal exchange.

In July 2025, searches were conducted at one of these points, and cash, equipment, and documentation were seized. The address of the illegal cash desk matches the one listed on the official website of LLC «Premium Finance».

At the end of August 2025, the court seized all the confiscated property and funds.

In January 2025, law enforcement conducted a search at a branch of LLC «Premium Finance» in Beregove, Zakarpattia region. The reason was the same – suspected legalization of funds obtained through criminal means. Cash in dollars, euros, Czech crowns, Hungarian forints, and British pounds sterling was seized.

Earlier, in November 2023, a search was conducted at a storage location for funds belonging to LLC «Premium Finance» at a Kyiv exchange point. At that time, hryvnias, euros, and Polish zlotys were seized. However, in March 2025, the Pecherskyi Court lifted the seizure of these funds.

Thus, it can be argued that LLC «Premium Finance» has repeatedly come under the scrutiny of law enforcement on suspicion of money laundering and illegal currency exchange.

Even more intriguing are the criminal cases that shed light on how the owners of «Premium Finance» attempt to resolve their issues through «bribes». One of the cases concerns suspected tax evasion amounting to 56 million hryvnias. The case involves an employee of the State Enterprise of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine «Defence Procurement Agency», who previously worked at the Bureau of Economic Security. He offered to facilitate the closure of criminal cases against «Premium Finance» for 700,000 dollars.

The investigation established that the former law enforcement officer offered his services to the director of LLC «Premium Finance». From the case materials, it is clear that the two were acquainted, as, in addition to alleged bribes, they also discussed everyday matters.

At the end of July 2024, a meeting took place between the case participants, during which a portion of the «bribe» amounting to 100,000 dollars was handed over to the then-employee of the «Defence Procurement Agency».

After the transfer of the money, the state official was detained by employees of the Security Service of Ukraine.

Another case concerns an attempt by the management of LLC «Premium Finance» to resolve the issue of renewing a license for currency operations, which expired in December 2019.

From the investigation materials, it is clear that the company was denied a license renewal due to «81 significant violations of currency legislation, exceeding 50% of the number of structural units of the non-banking financial institution».

At that time, the beneficial owner of «Premium Finance», Viktor Kysilyov, decided to «fix» this issue through an acquaintance who had connections at the National Bank of Ukraine. A manager from the Department of Support Activities of the NBU was involved in resolving the issue. For his services, he requested 50,000 dollars.

In October 2019, the owner of «Premium Finance» transferred part of the funds, amounting to 40,000 dollars, to the NBU employee for the license renewal. On the same day, the banker was detained by the police.

The criminal case was closed in April 2025 at the request of the wife of the former NBU employee due to his death.

In the context of the aforementioned cases, it is also important to note that LLC «Premium Finance» constantly receives warnings from the National Bank regarding significant violations in its operations.

In June 2025, the company was fined 200,000 hryvnias for violating currency trading rules during martial law. The violations include the absence of a video surveillance system in the premises where currency operations are conducted, as well as the inability to provide copies of recordings to NBU inspectors.

Last autumn, it became known about the detention of a well-known figure in narrow circles, cryptocurrency trader and coach Ihor Tunyk. He was detained in Poland. Journalists reported that he might have been involved in the legalization and laundering of funds. It was also reported that LLC «Premium Finance» was involved in the scheme.

Media outlets wrote that Tunyk might have been engaged in illegal activities, including converting cryptocurrency into cash, not only in Ukraine but also in Poland and the UAE.

In Poland, a company named ELRMCF team spółka z ograniczoną odpowiedzialnością is registered. Its name is very similar to Tunyk’s company elrmcf.exch, which deals with cryptocurrency-to-cash exchange. The director of the Polish company is listed as Valentyna Moskalyuk.

A woman with the same surname is friends with Tunyk’s mother, Nataliya Vyhovska, on social media. She may be a probable relative of the director of the Polish company.

From the social media of Tunyk’s mother, it can be learned that he has a brother and a sister. Moreover, his sister is also involved in cryptocurrency. Her profile states, «I’ll exchange your crypto anywhere in the world» and includes a link to the «Capital Club» group on Telegram.

In 2024, the mother of the detained Ihor Tunyk vacationed with him in Dubai, where, as reported, he also deals with crypto exchange.

Interestingly, the detention of the cryptocurrency trader in Poland was reported by his wife, Mariya Tunyk. She is a former adult film actress. Currently, she is pregnant with his child, but a few months ago, she filed for divorce due to his infidelity. On her social media, she complains that she learned about Tunyk’s affairs while pregnant and, to maintain a normal life after his detention, had to sell real estate and a car. As of January this year, according to her, Tunyk is still in prison.

Before becoming a well-known coach and cryptocurrency trader, Ihor Tunyk looked somewhat different. Photos can be found on his mother’s Instagram page. Moreover, he was married to another woman.

In one of the comments under a photo, there is an eloquent remark: «your son has become arrogant». Presumably, the author meant the changes in Tunyk’s life that occurred after an increase in financial opportunities, to the point of wanting to change his wife to someone who previously earned money through explicit videos.

The connection between Ihor Tunyk and LLC «Premium Finance» can be traced through criminal cases. Although, most likely, this cooperation could have been situational. However, this does not negate the stories of bribes that the management of «Premium Finance» exchange points offered to officials to resolve legal issues. The question remains: who allows this company to remain one of the leaders in the currency exchange market and continuously increase its revenues?

Author: Olena Dobrodiy