Crypto Yakuza: Kazakhstani Woman in Trouble over "Lost Billions"

Yulia Ageeva from Almaty specialized in investments in neighbouring Russia. The author of the project "Crypto Yakuza" promised her subscribers deposit turnovers, high-interest rates, minimal risk and regular payments. After a few months of stable income, dividends started to dry up. Then investing parties lost everything. The young woman has changed her place of residence and claims that she will pay everything off.

The preliminary amount of damage is 350 million rubles (2.09 billion KZT), according to the newspaper "Soversheno Sekretno", whose journalists spoke with the affected "investors". An Orda correspondent also managed to contact the star of the "crypto-saga", Yulia Ageeva. It turned out that not everything is so cut-and-dried

Against the background of detentions of financial pyramids' founders in Kazakhstan, it is worth shedding light on a new market scheme.

A so–called expert, i.e. a "trader guru" in Telegram, writes about their abilities to earn a lot of money. The focus used to be on sports betting, but now the new trend revolves around the cryptocurrency market and stock speculation. The trader has a figurehead, usually a hired actor since the true fraudsters-organizers carefully protect their anonymity.

The trader's Telegram channel publishes satisfied clients' daily purchase reviews. A follower also sees screenshots, graphs, and correspondence with "clients". Everything is to convince people that it's all fair. New teams are regularly assembled for quick "earnings". If a person "bites", they dish out money, as a rule, in cash or via a transfer to the figurehead's card. Then they either immediately lose money, or get cheated on new amounts, for example, a tax on winnings before their issuance.

An Orda journalist has studied schemes for "extracting" money from people interested in easy money. And what is described in the article is considered legal in Russia and Kazakhstan.

What happened? The Victims' Version

Omsk resident Nikita Izmailov (name changed – Ed.) is engaged in cryptocurrency arbitrage (this is the purchase of an asset on the stock exchange, where the demand for it, and accordingly the price, is lower, and the sale is carried out where it is higher – Ed.). In 2022, the man learned from his companions about Yulia Ageeva, who calls herself "The Crypto Yakuza". On her Instagram, YouTube and Telegram channels, the young woman said that she collects pools every three weeks (a system that combines efforts to solve a common task and includes investors' money - Ed.) and then pays dividends.

It all seemed extremely easy: you give money, wait three weeks and get 1-30% of the provided amount.

After a successful "trial run" for several thousand rubles, the man began to bring in his friends. Some contracts were drawn up for him, while some sums went to Ageeva directly, the author of the article points out. In total, the man allegedly racked up 10.3 million rubles (61.5 million KZT) from co-investors in the project.

"On December 29, 2022, Yulia wrote to all investors that, unfortunately, she would not be able to be a good Ded Moroz ( Russian version of Santa Claus - Ed.), and the payment was postponed to January 7. However, there were also no receipts on the specified date. Ageeva explained this by the fact that international banks do not work on holidays. Thereafter, the postponements became weekly. In February, she selectively paid 1% to those whom she deemed necessary, probably to create the appearance that she was not shirking her obligations,"

The Omsk native told a foreign media outlet.

It is reported that in the end, the co-investors allegedly wrote a statement to the police against the man, threatening violence. The man points out that he wrote a statement regarding the Kazakhstani woman, as he owed money to more than 20 depositors because of her.

Solidarity in Crypto

The next participant in the project is Mark Ammosov. The young man hails from Yakutsk, and is a well–known blogger in his native region. That's probably why he was able to quickly get people involved and bring in millions of rubles to the project. Initially, the man also checked the operability of the scheme via a small amount. He later signed a contract for 11.8 million rubles (70.5 million KZT).

"I believed that Yulia was engaged in cryptocurrency arbitrage. Once she held a meeting of investors in Almaty. I tried to find out why the project participants receive such large dividends. She stated that she invests the money received in real estate and wholesale products. When I tried to find out the details, Ageeva replied with the saying: "If you know less, you sleep better." ( Russian equivalent to what you don't know can't hurt you - Ed.) I thought she had connections or reliable business partners,"

Mark told his story to a journalist of a Russian media outlet.

The author of the exposure further describes other failed cases of trust in a Kazakhstani investor.

Yulia Ageeva's Version

An Orda Correspondent learned the "Yakuza" is currently in Almaty, from where she shares news daily. The girl does not hide that she has been struggling. Ageeva assures that she will pay off all debts as soon as she gets back on her feet. She also allegedly intends to receive subsidies from the government of Kazakhstan, which are needed to implement business ideas.

Yulia Ageeva indeed travelled often and led a luxurious lifestyle. The cost of renting a "Moscow City" apartment, where she lived, starts at 240 thousand rubles per month (1.4 million KZT).

"I attracted money to the business and my team and I "made them work" in various ways. It was commerce – goods are bought cheaper and sold more expensive. I told everyone about it. In fact, the economies of countries are built like this: services, commerce and production. What exactly they did was never disclosed since no one really shares profitable ideas. Investors agreed with such conditions,"

Yulia Ageeva said at the beginning of the conversation.

According to the arbitrageur, the scheme is simple: the project participants gave money to Ageeva on a contractual basis, she "put them to work" and made a profit, then paid a percentage to investors.

"Many people have the question, is this considered an illegal activity? As such, there is no fraud here, since investors got their money back with interest. My activity was based on private principles. I planned to finalize everything in Russia, but for this I had to get a residence permit. I was waiting for a response to this application, but it didn't work out, because problems started,"

Ageeva describes the events of 2022.

The young woman assures that the difficult state of affairs arose due to the envious competitors. Allegedly, her entourage in the metropolis consisted of employees of fin-pyramids. It was reportedly unprofitable for them that some "no-name" was on the rise.

"In December 2022, we had force majeure in the business, publicly unknown people began to "gaslight" me. They started saying about me, "how this girl from Kazakhstan helps people earn much more than we do – it's not right." It was the comeptitors' coordinated move. ( I - Ed.) assured investors that payments should begin soon. In January 2023, (I was - Ed.) called to the police station, as they received a statement against me. As soon as ( I - Ed.) left the department, a huge man blocked the passage. He invited (me - Ed.) to a black jeep with the words "Julia, let's go." They spelled out was happening: in order for the complainant to change his mind, I (would - Ed.) have to send 2.5 million rubles,"

Ageeva said

According to the businesswoman, after refusing, she was told that she would regret it.

"Due to my inexperience, I did not immediately understand what consequences this could lead to… They began to influence investors directly. My ex-boyfriend was also among those who called to write a statement against me. Of course, there was an attack on me – they wrote that I was a fraud, but this is not so! Then Telegram channel admins contacted me, who wanted their own gains, also offering "help". But I have obligations to people, I'm in touch and I'm not hiding or avoiding responsibility. This is a business, there are sometimes delays in it, but everything is solveable. In my Telegram channel, I posted the entire history of events from the very beginning of the problems,"

Who's Responsible?

Yulia Ageeva assures that she worked honestly with her investors.

"I asked the audience not to fall for fake articles. Those who blackmailed and threatened me claimed that I was allegedly collecting money for the turnover of deposits by trading, but I was doing something else: cryptocurrency arbitrage, business, import, commerce. The amount of damage indicated in the article of 350 million rubles does not correspond to reality. However, I cannot disclose all the details of the transactions yet, as I myself am bound by obligations to partners,"

Ageeva said.

Yulia says that she understands investors' concerns. However, she can't back up her claims with anything concrete yet. In addition, she assures that her partners also do not tell her all the details for security reasons.

"There is no need to talk about partners yet. There is a certain faith, but if they abandon me, then I will have to. I have all the legal documents that I am ready to provide at the request of the authorities. This will prove that I wasn't the final link in the chain. Nevertheless, I endured when criminal gangs hounded me, psychological and emotional pressure was exerted everywhere. Literally, a month later, my investors were already writing that they were wrong and understand the situation. Some are already suggesting to help – to invest in projects again. Of course, I am aware of the responsibility for what is happening. But there is knowledge of how to make money, solid and proven skills. In my place could be anyone who is somehow engaged in business … Now the main thing is that I have learned a lot from this,"

the Crypto Yakuza assures.

Yulia did not disclose the exact amount of the debt, however, she said that she plans to engage in information business and production in order to pay it off as soon as possible.

"When you give someone a loan, and they don't return it, this is a civil law relations. During the trouble, I sold jewellery and gave all my idle funds to investors. ( I have - Ed.) no money to live in Moscow, so I will do everything in my hometown to get out of the situation. I wasn't detained at the airport, I (got - Ed.) to leave, and I'm not hiding. Payments should start in one or two months,"

Yulia Ageeva concluded.

According to our sources, all the cases against the "Crypto Yakuza" are planned to be combined and an investigation will begin. Orda.kz sent a request to the Prosecutor's Office and the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in Moscow for confirmation.

Original Author: Alexander Smolin

DISCLAIMER: This is a translated piece. The text has been modified, the content is the same. Please refer to the original piece in Russian for accuracy.