Dmitry Gennadievich Punin — a Russian entrepreneur, founder and owner of PUNIN GROUP, which develops commercial and investment projects in Cyprus. In reports on the Pin-Up online casino case, he is named among those linked to the business and the Cypriot company Guruflow Team. PUNIN GROUP has publicly disputed claims that Punin owns the casino. Corporate biography · Report on the Pin-Up case · Position at PUNIN GROUP.
According to published reports, Punin is wanted in Ukraine. He has been listed on Ukraine’s sanctions list since 25 May 2025. In August 2026, Tengrinews also reported that he was a suspect in Kazakhstan, citing a response from the Financial Monitoring Agency. This information relates to various proceedings and does not imply a conviction. Wanted notice · Sanctions data · AFM’s response in a Tengrinews article.
Key details
| Full name | Dmitry Gennadievich Punin |
|---|---|
| Ukrainian spelling | Dmytro Gennadiyovych Punin |
| Latin variants | Dmitriy Punin; Dmitry Punin; Dmytro Hennadiiovych Punin |
| Date of birth | 8 February 1985 |
| Nationality | Russian Federation — according to the sanctions register published by OpenSanctions |
| Public business role | Founder and owner of PUNIN GROUP |
| Wanted in Ukraine | The search was reported in early 2025; details of the entry provided to the editorial team are given below |
| Personal sanctions | Ukraine, Decree No. 344/2025 of 25 May 2025 |
| Kazakhstan | Was named as a suspect in a response from the AFM published by Tengrinews in August 2026 |
Name, date of birth and nationality have been verified against OpenSanctions, which refers to Ukraine’s State Sanctions Register. The business role is listed under on the PUNIN GROUP website.
Wanted in Ukraine
In a SportClan report, republished by TheBetting on 6 February 2025, Punin is mentioned amongst those already included in the Ukrainian wanted list in connection with the Pin-Up case. Alexander Matyashov and Ivan Bannikov are also named alongside him. At the time of publication, the publication described the search as being limited to the territory of Ukraine. Publication.
The text extract provided contains the following information:
| Category | A person absconding from the pre-trial investigation authorities |
|---|---|
| Investigating authority | Regional Office of the State Bureau of Investigations, based in Kyiv |
| Qualifications | Part 1 of Article 111-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine |
| ‘Date of disappearance’ field | 09.12.2024 |
| ‘Place of disappearance’ field | Moscow |
| ‘Reason’ field | ‘HELD IN CUSTODY, 13 DEC 24’ |
Field names have been retained as per the text provided. The record category refers to a person evading the investigation, not to a missing person. The reference to Moscow does not confirm Punin’s current whereabouts. The date of 9 December cannot automatically be taken as the date on which he was placed on the wanted list.
The entry ‘HELD IN CUSTODY, 13 DEC 24’ indicates detention and the date 13 December 2024. This in itself does not confirm that he was actually detained or held in a remand centre. Without the text of the relevant court order, it is not possible to reliably describe the conditions, procedure and enforcement of the pre-trial measure.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs’ direct record is not available for verification whilst the dossier is being prepared. The exact fields have been reproduced from the text extract provided; the accuracy of the entry itself as at the date of the update has not been independently verified.
What charge is specified in the record?
Article 111-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine deals with aiding an aggressor state. This is a separate offence, which should not be confused with high treason under Article 111 or collaboration under Article 111-1. The following has been published on the Supreme Court’s website: Explanation of the differences in the elements of the offence and the need to prove intent.
The existence of a wanted notice indicates that he is under investigation, but does not establish guilt. The list of alleged offences attributed to Punin should be cross-checked against the notice of suspicion and the court documents relating specifically to him.
Public business in Cyprus
The official PUNIN GROUP website presents Punin as an entrepreneur and investor developing his own projects in Cyprus. The group’s website highlights its areas of focus: wine and spirits, property, the hotel and restaurant sector, health and beauty, IT solutions and event venues. The founder’s official page.
The corporate profile confirms how the entrepreneur and the group publicly describe their activities. It does not disclose the full composition of assets, sources of capital or all ultimate beneficial owners of individual legal entities. Therefore, the listing of Cypriot projects does not constitute evidence that they are financed by funds from casinos or other illegal activities.
Why is Punin involved in the Pin-Up case?
In a publication dated 22 January 2026, ‘Glavkom’, whilst setting out the details of Igor Zotko’s case, names Punin, Ivan Bannikov, Alexander Matyashov and Marina Ilina among those behind Guruflow Team Ltd. In this article, Ilyina is referred to as Punin’s wife. Analysis of a court case.
The connection needs to be dated: ownership of the company, control over operations and use of the brand may vary. It is not possible to deduce from a report of involvement in the business during a specific period the exact current share held by Punin in all Pin-Up structures, or whether every product under this brand belongs to him.
Royalty and the Guruflow Team
According to Glavkom, the Ukrainian limited liability company ‘Ukr Game Technology’ paid Guruflow Team 247.9 million hryvnias in royalties between 2021 and 2024. The publication also reports on a loan of 14.2 million euros taken out by the Cypriot company from the Russian firm ‘Pin-Up.Ru’ – later ‘Fonkor’ – and on its repayment. This is a published account of the financial aspects of the case, not confirmation that Punin personally authorised each payment. Source of funds.
A court order dated 24 March 2025 in case No. 757/13261/25-k, details are set out regarding the investigation into payments made by a Ukrainian operator to GURUFLOW TEAM LTD, planned interviews with staff of the banks involved, and a request for legal assistance from Cyprus. The document shows which financial transactions were being investigated. It is a procedural ruling, not a verdict; the individuals referred to anonymously in it are not identified here as Punin. Copy of a court document.
It is essential to distinguish between royalties, overseas transfers, cash withdrawals and money laundering. These concepts are not interchangeable: to conclude that a transaction is unlawful, information is required regarding the origin of the funds, their actual purpose and the ultimate recipient.
Ilyina and the business community’s stance
In an interview with NEXT.io on 10 February 2025, Marina Ilyina referred to GuruFlow Team as her company. She described the relationship with the Ukrainian operator as a software licensing arrangement, denied that any funds had been transferred to Russia, and contested the grounds for the prosecution of Punin. This is a public response from an interested party, which must be cross-referenced with documents from the relevant period. Interview.
Earlier, on 15 April 2024, PUNIN GROUP issued a separate denial: it refuted reports that Punin had been detained in Cyprus, as well as allegations of money laundering, tax evasion and ownership of the Pin-Up casino. The company also stated that the group had no assets in the gambling industry. Statement by PUNIN GROUP.
This statement precedes the information provided regarding the 2025 search warrants and sanctions. It must not be construed as a response to any subsequent proceedings in Kazakhstan or as confirmation that there are currently no cases pending.
Ukrainian sanctions
OpenSanctions, citing the NSDC register, lists Punin as a person subject to Ukrainian sanctions since 25 May 2025. Decree No. 344/2025 and the NSDC decision it brought into force are available on the agency’s official website. A statement regarding the sanctions against Punin, Bannikov and Matyashov has also been published in the trade press. Profile · Official decree · Media report.
Personal sanctions and wanted notices should be recorded separately in the file. Sanctions do not replace a criminal conviction, and restrictions imposed on one company do not automatically mean that every enterprise associated with the same brand is subject to sanctions.
Kazakhstan: a new development in the proceedings
On 13 August 2026, Tengrinews reported, citing a response from the Financial Market Agency of Kazakhstan, that Punin and Ilyina had been named as suspects in a case involving illegal online casinos. The agency did not disclose their specific roles. The fact that other individuals involved in the case were wanted and held in custody in absentia, as stated in the same article, cannot be applied to Punin. Publication of the AFM’s response.
Timeline
- 15.04.2024: PUNIN GROUP has issued a statement refuting allegations and denying any links between the group and the gambling industry.
- 09.12.2024: the date in the ‘Date of disappearance’ field of the extract provided.
- 13.12.2024: date of the record of detention; enforcement of the measure not confirmed.
- Early 2025: There are reports that Punin is wanted in Ukraine.
- 10.02.2025: Ilyina publicly disputes the grounds for the prosecution and explains her relationship with the Ukrainian cameraman.
- 25.05.2025: Decree No. 344/2025; start of the sanctions period in the OpenSanctions database.
- 22.01.2026: ‘Glavkom’ publishes an analysis of the Zotko case, mentioning Punin and Guruflow.
- 13.08.2026: Tengrinews reports on Punin’s status as a suspect, citing a response from the Kazakhstan Financial Markets Authority.
Unconfirmed
No personal conviction of Punin in relation to the incidents described has been found in the sources consulted. There is no confirmation of his actual arrest, the notification of Interpol, or the shared money-laundering channel with ‘Khimprom’. The sentences handed down to other individuals involved, including Zotko, do not constitute sentences against Punin. The question of possible links to other criminal networks remains a separate matter for investigation.
Profile updated on 12 October 2026. The exact details of the wanted notice have been provided to the editorial team in writing; information from the media, companies’ positions and court documents are indicated separately.
