From internet scam to state programs: what lies behind the transformation of Ukraine’s «digital» minister and «Diya» app creator Mykhailo Fedorov

14:14, 12.05.2021

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From internet scam to state programs: what lies behind the transformation of Ukraine’s «digital» minister and «Diya» app creator Mykhailo Fedorov

Between 2016 and 2017, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov was allegedly involved in an internet scam in his hometown of Zaporizhzhya.

The scheme operated under the name "International Center of Innovative Technologies in the Field of Body Correction INNOCENTER."

Across Ukraine, Fedorov is widely recognized as the country’s chief "digitalizer" — the driving force behind the Diya app and the face of digital reform. But in the Zaporizhzhya region, this native of Vasylivka was once known for a very different reason: his alleged role in online fraud.

In 2016-2017, a fraudulent group that included Zelenskyy’s friend Misha Fedorov swindled money from many women, offering them a non-existent "unique quick weight loss method." The scam was called the "International Center of Innovative Technologies in the Field of Body Correction INNOCENTER".

The fraudsters didn’t even try to build any coherent scheme (such as the siphoning of grant and budget funds called "Diya").

To those desiring to lose weight, they packaged any diet or Chinese teas with parasites, and once they received the money, the fraudsters simply blocked the victims, regularly changing SIM cards.

The money was withdrawn to cards issued in the names of third parties (presumably marginalized individuals).

Nowadays, in interviews, Fedorov claims that he was a successful businessman from a young age.

Well, if you consider Innocenter a business, then he isn’t lying.

However, this wasn’t Misha’s only "business." There were many such scams. The main one still exists – SMM Studio.

The company allegedly engages in "promoting" other people’s goods and services.

In fact, it is a conversion center.

A conversion center, one of whose clients once was "Kvartal 95", and then they even hired Misha to convert the money that generous sucker-investors poured into the presidential and parliamentary campaigns.

Due to the successful laundering of money into the shadows, Fedorov, at Zelenskyy’s behest, became a minister, and the investigative materials about Fedorov’s "successful business" were "lost".

Now the converter Misha is engaged in what he did before: channeling huge budgets through the Ministry of Digital Transformation and the state enterprise "Diia".

The activities of the young talent are overseen by the long-standing curator of all things digital in Ukraine, the constant Oleksiy Vyskub.

However, simple robbery does not appeal to the exceptionally greedy "minister of SMM".

To cover an even wider range of programs, Fedorov’s company specifically creates positions for deputy heads of regions on digitalization, where Misha’s people are placed.

For example, Yehor Korniyenko - the manager of SMM Studio and the head of another scam - the "Profiling and Mediation Center", becomes the deputy head of the Zaporizhzhya region.

Such is the amusing story of the victory of digital over corruption.

And finally, to keep you entertained – police reports on the entire group of fraudsters. Officially, these reports were ordered to be removed from the archive and destroyed, but...