President Zelensky slapped with Parimatch subsidiary lawsuit

Parimatch, an online gambling business, has filed a lawsuit against President Volodymyr Zelensky to lift the sanctions imposed on the company because of its ties with Russia and Belarus. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the Cypriot Weplay Media Holding Limited, which owns the Parimatch trademark. The defendant in the lawsuit is Zelensky personally. The court scheduled the consideration of the lawsuit on September 5, 2023.

Sanctions imposed by Zelensky

The sanctions were imposed by Zelensky signed Presidential Decree No. 145/2023 into law on March 10, 2023, following a decision by the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine (NSDC). The NSDC accused Parimatch and other betting companies of working against Ukraine, withdrawing funds from the state, and financing various Russian schemes through gambling business schemes. The sanctions meant that Parimatch had to suspend its operations in Ukraine, block its website for Ukrainian customers, and end all staff contracts. In total, 287 companies and 120 individuals were sanctioned and prohibited from conducting business in Ukraine for the next 50 years.

Parimatch appeal

Parimatch appealed to Zelensky to verify the NSDC’s decision, claiming that the information used by the council was falsified and that the company had never received any requests from the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) regarding its franchise in Russia. Parimatch also alleged that it had been subjected to threats, intimidation, and extortion by the SBU. Parimatch stated that it was looking for a legal refund mechanism for its customers and that it would transfer all their funds in full.

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