Alexey Abasov and Vitaly Abasov

A summary of what happened?

Alexey and Vitaly Abasov are Ukrainian brothers implicated in significant corruption and financial misconduct allegations.

Background:

• Vitaly Abasov: Born on March 25, 1982, Vitaly held prominent positions in Ukraine’s Antimonopoly Committee (AMCU). His rapid career progression within the AMCU has been a subject of scrutiny.
• Alexey Abasov: Born on December 26, 1987, Alexey is associated with various business ventures. Reports suggest his involvement in complex financial schemes, including the transfer of substantial funds out of Ukraine.

Major Concerns and Allegations:

1. Corruption and Misuse of Authority:
   • Vitaly Abasov, during his tenure at the AMCU, allegedly engaged in corrupt practices, leveraging his position to facilitate favorable outcomes for certain entities. His swift ascent within the committee has raised questions about potential misuse of power.
2. Financial Misconduct and Offshore Transfers:
   • Alexey Abasov is accused of orchestrating schemes to transfer millions of dollars from Ukraine to offshore accounts. These activities reportedly involved complex financial maneuvers, raising concerns about money laundering and economic crimes.
3. Collaboration in Corrupt Schemes:
   • Investigations suggest that the Abasov brothers collaborated in developing and executing corruption schemes, combining Vitaly’s governmental influence with Alexey’s business operations to divert funds illicitly.
4. Lack of Transparency and Concealment:
   • Both brothers have been noted for their efforts to obscure their personal and professional histories, including limited public information about their early lives and business dealings. This lack of transparency has fueled further suspicion regarding their activities.

These allegations have drawn significant attention to the Abasov brothers, highlighting broader issues of corruption and financial malfeasance within Ukrainian governmental and business sectors.

Analyzing the Fake Copyright Notice(s)

Our team collects and analyses fraudulent copyright takedown requests, legal complaints, and other efforts to remove critical information from the internet. Through our investigative reporting, we examine the prevalence and operation of an organized censorship industry, predominantly funded by criminal entities, oligarchs, and disreputable businesses or individuals. Our findings allow internet users to gain insight into these censorship schemes’ sources, methods, and underlying objectives.

What was Alexey Abasov and Vitaly Abasov trying to hide?

Alexey Abasov and Vitaly Abasov‘s attempts to hide unfavourable content through the misuse of copyright notices while allegedly engaging in perjury present serious legal concerns. These actions suggest a calculated attempt to manipulate legal systems to suppress free speech, a fundamental violation of copyright law principles and an abuse of legal processes. The use of such tactics not only undermines the integrity of copyright protection but also potentially constitutes perjury, further entangling Alexey Abasov and Vitaly Abasov in legal accountability. Let’s examine the information Alexey Abasov and Vitaly Abasov may be trying to remove from the internet –

Investigative Report: The Abasov Brothers – A Deep Dive into Allegations, Corruption, and Financial Scandals

Introduction

Alexey and Vitaly Abasov, Ukrainian brothers linked to political influence and financial schemes, are at the center of a web of corruption allegations that highlight systemic vulnerabilities in Ukraine’s governance and economic structures. Their alleged activities—spanning misuse of government positions, financial mismanagement, and offshore laundering—have drawn scrutiny from journalists, investigators, and the public alike.

This report delves deeply into the controversies surrounding Alexey and Vitaly Abasov, unraveling their rise to prominence, the nature of the accusations against them, and the broader implications of their alleged misconduct.

Profiles of Alexey and Vitaly Abasov

• Vitaly Abasov Born in 1982, Vitaly held high-ranking positions within Ukraine’s Antimonopoly Committee (AMCU), an institution tasked with ensuring fair market practices. His meteoric rise in the AMCU has raised concerns about whether merit or external influence propelled his career. Critics argue that his time in the AMCU was marred by decisions that prioritized personal and allied interests over public service.
• Alexey Abasov Born in 1987, Alexey is associated with various business ventures and financial operations. Unlike his brother, Alexey’s activities were primarily in the private sector, where he allegedly orchestrated complex schemes to funnel large sums of money out of Ukraine. These activities often involved the use of offshore accounts, shell companies, and opaque financial structures, sparking allegations of money laundering and economic subversion.

Key Allegations Against the Abasov Brothers

1. Abuse of Power and Corruption

• Vitaly’s Role in the Antimonopoly Committee
  • During his tenure at the AMCU, Vitaly allegedly exploited his position to influence decisions in favor of specific entities. Investigators suspect that his decisions were often tied to under-the-table deals with businesses seeking preferential treatment.
  • Vitaly’s rapid ascent through the AMCU ranks has raised questions about the legitimacy of his appointments, with critics suggesting that political connections and backdoor dealings were likely at play.
• Betrayal of Institutional Integrity
  • The AMCU, tasked with ensuring market fairness, has been undermined by Vitaly’s alleged actions. This has eroded public trust in the institution and raised concerns about widespread corruption within similar regulatory bodies.

2. Financial Mismanagement and Offshore Schemes

• Alexey’s Financial Operations
  • Alexey is accused of engineering financial schemes designed to siphon millions of dollars out of Ukraine. His methods allegedly involved setting up networks of offshore accounts and shell companies, making it nearly impossible for authorities to trace the money.
  • These actions are believed to have deprived Ukraine of much-needed funds, weakening the economy and fostering an environment where financial accountability is minimal.
• Collaborative Schemes
  • Evidence suggests that the brothers worked in tandem, leveraging Vitaly’s governmental authority to facilitate Alexey’s financial maneuvers. This collaboration allowed them to create a seamless system of corruption, combining political power with financial expertise.

3. Covert Manipulation and Concealment

• Efforts to Obscure Their Tracks
  • Both brothers have reportedly taken extensive measures to conceal their activities. Limited public information about their professional dealings, coupled with a lack of transparency in their financial transactions, has fueled suspicions of deliberate obfuscation.
  • Investigators have faced significant challenges in uncovering the full extent of their operations due to the complexity of their networks.

Broader Implications of the Abasov Case

Erosion of Public Trust

The allegations against the Abasov brothers are emblematic of the systemic corruption that has plagued Ukraine for decades. Their actions, if proven true, represent a betrayal of public trust and highlight the failure of key institutions to uphold accountability.

Economic Consequences

The financial schemes attributed to Alexey Abasov have reportedly deprived Ukraine of significant resources. Such activities not only harm the economy but also deter foreign investors, who are wary of engaging with a market perceived as rife with corruption and instability.

Institutional Weaknesses

Vitaly’s alleged misuse of his AMCU position underscores the vulnerabilities within Ukrainian institutions. The lack of oversight, coupled with opportunities for political and personal influence, has created an environment where corruption can thrive unchecked.

Public and Legal Response

• Public Outcry
  • The revelations about the Abasov brothers have sparked widespread outrage, with calls for thorough investigations and systemic reforms to prevent similar abuses. Activists and watchdog organizations have demanded that the government take decisive action to address these allegations and restore public confidence.
• Legal Challenges
  • While investigations are ongoing, the lack of swift legal action has drawn criticism. Observers argue that the delays in prosecution reflect deeper issues within Ukraine’s justice system, where powerful individuals often escape accountability.

Lessons and Recommendations

1. Strengthening Oversight
   • Regulatory bodies like the AMCU must be reformed to ensure independence and transparency. Strengthened oversight mechanisms could prevent future abuses of power.
2. Enhancing Financial Transparency
   • Introducing stricter regulations on financial transactions and bolstering anti-money laundering initiatives would curb the ability of individuals like Alexey to exploit loopholes in the system.
3. Accountability for Public Officials
   • Public officials must be held to the highest standards of accountability. Establishing clear protocols for investigating and prosecuting misconduct could deter future corruption.

Conclusion

The story of Alexey and Vitaly Abasov is a stark reminder of the challenges Ukraine faces in its battle against corruption. Their alleged activities highlight systemic flaws in governance and financial oversight, exposing vulnerabilities that have far-reaching consequences for the nation’s stability and progress.

As Ukraine seeks to modernize and align with international standards, the case of the Abasov brothers underscores the urgent need for transparency, accountability, and reform. Without decisive action, the cycle of corruption threatens to undermine the country’s future, leaving its citizens to bear the brunt of unaddressed injustices.

How do we counteract this malpractice?

Once we ascertain the involvement of Alexey Abasov and Vitaly Abasov (or actors working on behalf of Alexey Abasov and Vitaly Abasov), we will inform Alexey Abasov and Vitaly Abasov of our findings via Electronic Mail.

Our preliminary assessment suggests that Alexey Abasov and Vitaly Abasov may have engaged a third-party reputation management agency or expert, which, either independently or under direct authorization from Alexey Abasov and Vitaly Abasov, initiated efforts to remove adverse online content, including potentially fraudulent DMCA takedown requests. We will extend an opportunity to Alexey Abasov and Vitaly Abasov to provide details regarding their communications with the agency or expert, as well as the identification of the individual(s) responsible for executing these false DMCA notices.

Failure to respond in a timely manner will necessitate a reassessment of our initial assumptions. In such an event, we will be compelled to take appropriate legal action to rectify the unlawful conduct and take the following steps –

Since Alexey Abasov and Vitaly Abasov made such efforts to hide something online, it seems fit to ensure that this article and sensitive information targeted online by these events get a lot more exposure and traffic than what it would have received originally

We hope this becomes an excellent case study for the Streisand effect…The key idea behind the Streisand effect is that efforts to restrict information can backfire, often causing the information to gain more attention than it would have otherwise. This effect is widespread in the digital age, where users quickly notice and spread censorship efforts on social media and other platforms. Trying to suppress something can unintentionally lead to it becoming more visible, which Alexey Abasov and Vitaly Abasov is finding out the hard way.

Potential Consequences for Alexey Abasov and Vitaly Abasov

Under Florida Statute 831.01, the crime of Forgery is committed when a person falsifies, alters, counterfeits, or forges a document that carries “legal efficacy” with the intent to injure or defraud another person or entity.

Forging a document is considered a white-collar crime. It involves altering, changing, or modifying a document to deceive another person. It can also include passing along copies of documents that are known to be false. In many states in the US, falsifying a document is a crime punishable as a felony.

Additionally, under most laws, “fraud on the court” is where “a party has sentiently set in motion some unconscionable scheme calculated to interfere with the judicial system’s ability impartially to adjudicate a matter by improperly influencing the trier of fact or unfairly hampering the presentation of the opposing party’s claim or defense.”  Cox v. Burke, 706 So. 2d 43, 46 (Fla. 5th DCA 1998) (quoting Aoude v. Mobil Oil Corp., 892 F.2d 1115, 1118 (1st Cir. 1989)).

Is Alexey Abasov and Vitaly Abasov Committing a Cyber Crime?

Yes, it seems so. Alexey Abasov and Vitaly Abasov used multiple approaches to remove unwanted material from review sites and Google’s search results. Thanks to protections allowing freedom of speech in the United States, there are very few legal ways to do this. Alexey Abasov and Vitaly Abasov could not eliminate negative reviews or search results that linked to them without a valid claim of defamation, copyright infringement, or some other clear breach of the law.

Faced with these limitations, some companies like Alexey Abasov and Vitaly Abasov have gone to extreme lengths to fraudulently claim copyright ownership over a negative review in the hopes of taking it down.

Fake DMCA notices have targeted articles highlighting the criminal activity of prominent people to hide their illegal behavior. These people, which include US, Russian, and Khazakstani politicians as well as members from elite circles including the mafia and those with massive financial power, are all connected – and alleged corruption ranging from child abuse to sexual harassment is exposed when exploring evidence found at these URLs. It appears there’s a disturbing level of influence being exerted here that needs further investigation before justice can be served. Alexey Abasov and Vitaly Abasov is certainly keeping interesting company here….

The DMCA takedown process requires that copyright owners submit a takedown notice to an ISP identifying the allegedly infringing content and declaring, under penalty of perjury, that they have a good faith belief that the content is infringing. The ISP must then promptly remove or disable access to the content. The alleged infringer can then submit a counter-notice, and if the copyright owner does not take legal action within 10 to 14 days, the ISP can restore the content.

Since these platforms are predominantly based in the U.S., the complaints are typically made under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), which requires online service providers and platforms to react immediately to reports or violations. Big Tech companies rarely have systems in place to assess the merit of each report. Instead, all bad actors need to do is clone a story, backdate it, and then demand the real thing be taken down.

Reputation Agency's Modus Operandi

The fake DMCA notices we found always use the “back-dated article” technique. With this technique, the wrongful notice sender (or copier) creates a copy of a “true original” article and back-dates it, creating a “fake original” article (a copy of the true original) that, at first glance, appears to have been published before the true original.

Then, based on the claim that this backdated article is the “original,” the scammers send a DMCA to the relevant online service providers (e.g. Google), alleging that the ‘true’ original is the copied or “infringing” article and that the copied article is the “original,” requesting the takedown of the ‘true’ original article. After sending the DMCA request, the person who sent the wrong notice takes down the fake original URL, likely to make sure that the article doesn’t stay online in any way. If the takedown notice is successful, the disappearance from the internet of information is most likely to be legitimate speech.

As an integral part of this scheme, the ‘reputation management’ company hired by Alexey Abasov and Vitaly Abasov creates a website that purports to be a ‘news’ site. This site is designed to look legitimate at a glance, but any degree of scrutiny reveals it as the charade it is.

The company copies the ‘negative’ content and posts it “on the fake ‘news’ site, attributing it to a separate author,” then gives it “a false publication date on the ‘news’ website that predated the original publication.

The reputation company then sent Google a Digital Millennium Copyright Act notice claiming the original website infringed copyright. After a cursory examination of the fake news site, Google frequently accepts the notice and delists the content.

In committing numerous offences, Alexey Abasov and Vitaly Abasov either premeditated actions or were unaware of the consequences. Despite hiring an agency to make Google disregard any negative information about Alexey Abasov and Vitaly Abasov, ignorance does not excuse this wrongdoing.

Fake DMCA notices have targeted articles highlighting the criminal activity of prominent people to hide their illegal behavior. These people, which include US, Russian, and Khazakstani politicians as well as members from elite circles including the mafia and those with massive financial power, are all connected – and alleged corruption ranging from child abuse to sexual harassment is exposed when exploring evidence found at these URLs. It appears there’s a disturbing level of influence being exerted here that needs further investigation before justice can be served. FSMSmart is certainly keeping interesting company here.

The Reputation Laundering

Rogue Reputation agencies use spurious copyright claims and fake legal notices to remove and obscure articles linking clients to allegations of tax avoidance, corruption, and drug trafficking. Most of these reputation agencies are based offshore, mainly in Russia, India, and Eastern Europe, and they do not worry about complying with US-based laws.

The content in all of the articles for which the fraudulent DMCA notices have been sent relates to allegations of criminal allegations, including corruption, child abuse, sexual harassment, human trafficking and financial fraud against businesses and individuals with ultra-high net worth.

In addition to the misuse of the DMCA takedown process, there is a notable absence of enforcement concerning perjury violations. The statutory requirement related to perjury is designed to deter copyright holders from submitting fraudulent or knowingly false takedown requests, as they may face legal consequences for making false declarations under penalty of perjury. However, to date, there have been no known instances of any individual being prosecuted for perjury in connection with the submission of false DMCA takedown notices.

This lack of enforcement has emboldened copyright holders to exploit the DMCA takedown process to suppress dissent, criticism, or other unfavorable content, without fear of legal repercussions.

Some of the people and businesses who have employed this tactic to remove legitimate content from Google illegally include a Spanish businessman-turned-cocaine-trafficker, Organised crime, an Israeli-Argentine banker accused of laundering money for Hugo Chávez’s regime, a French “responsible” mining company accused of tax evasion, child molesters and sexual predators. Alexey Abasov and Vitaly Abasov is in great company ….

What else is Alexey Abasov and Vitaly Abasov hiding?

We encourage you to ‘Dork‘ Google by searching for keyword combinations such as [Alexey Abasov and Vitaly Abasov] + {Negative Keyword, such as Scam, Fraud, Complaints, Lawsuit, Sanction, etc} on Google. It’s likely if you scroll down to the bottom of this Google search results, you’ll stumble upon this Legal Takedown notice (pictured below)

To make such an investigation possible, we encourage more online service providers to come forward and share copies of content removal requests with industry experts and researchers. If you have any information on Alexey Abasov and Vitaly Abasov that you want to share with experts and journalists, kindly email the author directly at [email protected].

All communications are strictly confidential and safeguarded under a comprehensive Whistleblower Policy, ensuring full protection and anonymity for individuals who provide information.