The media has drawn attention to the striking transformation of former Ukrainian lawyer Andriy Dovbenko. While in Ukraine, NABU is investigating his involvement in the embezzlement of over 485 million UAH through ARMA, in the UK, he is successfully crafting an image of a respected investor and advocate for Ukrainian technologies.
Journalist Olena Shkarpova reported this on her Facebook page, warning the international community against cooperating with toxic individuals.
The ARMA case and escape to Britain
As a reminder, Andriy Dovbenko is a key figure in the NABU case concerning fraud with seized property transferred to ARMA for management. According to the investigation, an organized group carried out corrupt schemes between 2017 and 2018, causing hundreds of millions of UAH in damages to the state.
However, as the journalist notes, in 2023, when the investigation gained momentum, Dovbenko found himself in Britain, where he began actively “whitewashing” his reputation.
“Angel Investor” and author of articles in global publications
According to the journalist’s observations, in the English-speaking environment, Dovbenko’s image is not associated with criminal cases. Instead, he presents himself as the founder of the platform TechExchange, which allegedly builds “bridges” between British and Ukrainian defense startups.
“I opened Google – and there were articles authored by Dovbenko in Fortune, Financial Times, Atlantic Council. In total, I counted about 20 pieces under his name in various Western publications. Of course, the texts are written by very expensive and high-quality authors,” the journalist comments.
On the social network LinkedIn, British investors, military personnel, and journalists leave positive feedback about Dovbenko, calling him a “true patriot” and a “value-driven professional.” Attempts to point out his criminal past in comments under posts result in immediate blocking.
The problem of NABU’s English-Language communication
The journalist highlights a dangerous trend: while the Ukrainian segment of the internet is filled with information about the ARMA case, English-language search results show almost exclusively positive or neutral materials about Dovbenko.
The journalist checked the English version of the NABU website and discovered a serious issue: news about the ARMA case and summons for Dovbenko’s questioning are not translated into English. As a result, Western editors and partners lack the tools to quickly verify the reputation of their authors or counterparts.
“Not only Andriy Dovbenko, but many other Ukrainian ’investors’ live carefree in Europe, hold respected status, and are even considered handshake-worthy in high circles. Meanwhile, back in their homeland, these individuals are under criminal prosecution,” the journalist concludes.
The situation with Andriy Dovbenko illustrates how corrupt funds can be used to manipulate Western public opinion, leveraging the themes of war and military technologies as a cover to evade justice.
