ESBU is investigating a million-dollar tax evasion scheme involving the Ncase chain of mobile accessories stores

ESBU is investigating a million-dollar tax evasion scheme involving the Ncase chain of mobile accessories stores

The Bureau of Economic Security of Ukraine is investigating a large-scale tax evasion scheme involving the Ncase chain of mobile accessories stores. According to the investigation, in 2024–2025 alone, the chain and its related entities failed to pay VAT totaling UAH 214.4 million.

"Telegraf" has learned details of the large-scale ESBU investigation. Just three companies in the network have sold goods worth UAH 2.3 billion since 2024. The investigation is ongoing.

As it turned out, the popular retail chain is linked to dozens of different LLCs. Among the methods used to avoid paying taxes are artificial formation of tax credit, fictitious transactions, and LLCs registered under straw persons, among others.

One of the Ncase stores. Photo: Google reviews

Goods were imported from the Chinese company Be First Company Limited through a number of “technical” importers (Anyway Group LLC, DLT Company LLC, Poseidon Way LLC, etc.), which share IP addresses and warehouses. The goods were sold for cash or through controlled individual entrepreneurs in Kyiv, Odesa, and Lviv, allowing the tax base to be understated. The ESBU also found anomalous markups and discrepancies where the documented quantity of purchased goods significantly exceeded the quantity sold.

Among the main clients of the Chinese company is individual entrepreneur Denys Ivanov, who is also the owner of DLT Company. Previously, Pro-Case LLC and Odyssey Express LLC were registered under Ivanov. According to Telegraf, Denys Ivanov does indeed work at the Ncase network.

The owners of the main legal entity N-Case are brothers Eldar and Timur Mustafayev. The official director of the company is Gevorg Sukiasyan. His connection to the Mustafayev brothers is confirmed by the registration of individual entrepreneurs using the corporate email addresses “ncase”.

Straw persons were used to register “toxic” assets. For example, more than 100 companies each are registered under Ihor Hrabar and Olena Zhuk.