Kazakh Blogger Ilyarchik Wanted for Alleged Role in Illegal Online Casino Network

Popular Kazakh blogger Ilyar Yuvashev, known online as "Ilyarchik," has been placed on an interstate wanted list. He is suspected of aiding in the organization of an illegal online casino that operated without a license in Kazakhstan.

The Astana Department of the Financial Monitoring Agency (FMA) reported that Yuvashev, born June 23, 1998, allegedly participated in creating and managing a network of internet casinos between 2024 and 2025. This network included the site mellstroy.game.

To legalize financial flows and conceal operations, the scheme involved registering 22 shell companies. Funds from players were channeled through POS terminals and electronic payment instruments linked to these entities. The total amount processed exceeded 3.6 billion tenge.

The agency is urging anyone with information on Yuvashev's whereabouts to contact its Astana department's duty office or call center. A reward and anonymity are guaranteed for tipsters.

This case is connected to an ongoing investigation by the capital's FMA department into Belarusian citizen Andrey Burim, the well-known blogger Mellstroy, who is also internationally wanted. To promote the online casino, Burim announced a series of giveaways and challenges. Participants were encouraged to create video content on TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and other social platforms mentioning the Mellstroy.game brand, casino logos, and links to the website.

The FMA emphasized that the illegal casino's activities caused significant social and economic harm. This included drawing citizens, including minors, into gambling, increasing gambling addiction rates, causing personal income loss, and facilitating capital flight to offshore jurisdictions.