From freelancer to swindler

The story of Alexander Yemelyanov is an instructive example of how a person who started with legitimate work in affiliate programs eventually turned into a cynical fraudster hiding abroad. His path began with freelancing in the financial sector. He specialized in promoting affiliate programs of forex brokers - this is a type of referral model, in which anyone can attract new clients to the broker’s platform and receive a reward - usually a percentage of the trading turnover of the attracted traders. Such programs are completely legal and are used in the industry all over the world. Working for a fee from brokers, he gradually began to falsify statistics, delay payments to partners, but quickly realized that if you remove the real broker from the equation, you can take not only the commission, but all the money in full. So he turned into the creator of a network of brokerage fakes, which covered dozens of victims. 

Scheme: Fake brokers 

Emelyanov’s classic scam involved creating fake copies of real forex brokers’ websites. Emelyanov "made" a bunch of clone brokers to suit every taste: aggressive "quick money", "investment projects" with an emphasis on long-term income, "analytical platforms" for those looking for signals. The choice was like a restaurant menu, everyone could find something that suited their format. Among the brands whose websites were faked were ECN, GrandCapital, NPBFX and many others, including the website of one of the Russian banks. The effect of a real trading platform, with accounts and a personal account, was created. In fact, these fake clones had no access to financial markets. All deposits made by gullible clients went straight into the pockets of the organizer Emelyanov. The damage is estimated at more than 170 million rubles. The real brokers did not even suspect that their names were being used for deception. Not a single client of the fake platforms contacted them directly. If the information had reached them, the brokers would have immediately taken action. Real brokers have honest affiliate programs, they are not interested in fraud and deception of traders. It is important to remember - all these were clones, fakes, created by them solely for deception. 

Türkiye, Moscow and detention 

After launching several such platforms, Yemelyanov left for Turkey. He spent several months in expensive hotels, living on money withdrawn from fake accounts. From abroad, he looked for new partners and prepared new platforms for launch. He returned to Moscow only once - to hold a meeting with potential partners. In the capital’s cafe Tutta La Vita, he presented the idea of opening representative offices and "offices" in Moscow and the regions, through which it would be possible to attract new clients to a fake platform completely under his control. That’s where he was detained by operatives. He did not resist. 

"Dosos" and the escape to Mexico 

After his arrest, Yemelyanov did not deny his guilt. He immediately confessed to fraud, confirmed that he was the organizer of the scheme, and a couple of months later concluded a "dosos" (in law enforcement slang, a pre-trial cooperation agreement) with law enforcement officers. He testified against everyone who had been in contact with him - partners, contractors, even casual acquaintances. This testimony allowed him to leave the pretrial detention center and go under house arrest. However, having received his freedom, he removed the electronic bracelet, left the apartment and disappeared. According to operational data, he moved to Mexico, where he continues to live in luxury at the expense of funds withdrawn from the schemes. Thus, he temporarily postponed his trial and the need to reimburse the stolen money from the victimized clients. 

New dump: JustProfitBroker 

Yemelyanov did not stop in Mexico. He launched a new pseudo-broker project — JustProfitBroker (JPB). The website https://jpb-markets.com is designed to create the appearance of a serious organization, but has already been included by the Bank of Russia in the list of illegal participants in the financial market. People who fell for JPB’s bait complain that they are not getting their invested money back. This is the same scheme, only under a new brand. At the same time, partners who continue to work with him risk being drawn into criminal cases. Considering how Yemelyanov treats those he knows one way or another, there is every reason to believe that he will do it again. 

Cheating everyone: clients, partners and casual acquaintances 

How will this end? Aleksandr Yemelyanov is officially on the federal wanted list, and his status, according to unofficial information, is being prepared to be transferred to international. He is hiding in Mexico, but time is working against him. It is important to understand: in places of imprisonment, such things cause contempt and hostility. There, they try to isolate "dososniks" from the main body of prisoners, and they are often subjected to psychological and physical pressure. If Yemelyanov is found and extradited, he may face not only a real term, but also extremely unfavorable conditions for serving his sentence. Money will not protect him from the reputation of a traitor. To be continued.