Back in 2015, the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) and other law enforcement officials became concerned about the activities of Denis Ivanov and his Smart Manager company.
Then the SSU announced an investigation about the cooperation of Ukrzaliznytsia (UZ) and the privately held Smart Manager company, the owner and head of which was Denis Ivanov. Several public officials and the executive management of the privately held company were targeted in the investigation of appropriating 21 million UAH of state funds. According to the SSU, the subject matter was the media support services that Smart Manager allegedly provided to the monopolist, but the money was actually taken from the government — owned company.
However, it’s just the first known, but important episode. Pulling strings and using money, Valery Ivanov managed to “sweep under the rug” his son’s case for a while and to delay the hearing in court.
Nevertheless, the National Police, the SSU, the prosecutor’s office at the courts kept on proving the criminal activity facts of Denis Ivanov and officials of the Ukrzaliznytsia in 2011–2013. It is worth noting, that in April 2019 this case was heard in court, a couple of meetings were held, the company accounts and even more were arrested. The final point is really close, that’s why the family of Ivanov “journalists” apparently started to get nervous like that.
In 2014, being offended by the new leadership of Ukrzaliznytsia, because it did not prolong the expiring contract of media support with Smart Manager, Denis and his companions in revenge created a Strelochnik site (pseudo investigation site, the purpose of which was the defamation of the new UZ management and the ministry of infrastructure) and started to "beat up" the government officials, extorting money for not publishing materials. The UZ administration and the ministry got sick of it and filed a complain to the SSU.
Besides, it was found out that Smart Manager was involved in the Boris Lozhkin defamation campaign (at that time he was the head of the Chief of Staff of Ukraine). A few years ago, the SSU officers and law enforcement authorities conducted a search at the Smart Manager’s office space, the owner and head of which was Denis Ivanov, and found evidence of executed black PR orders against politicians, businessmen, and authorities. What’s more, in the office space of one of the commercial enterprise officials were found materials, confirming the connection with the DPR terrorist organization, particularly, information about the persons who were withdrawing cash for the needs of militants. Lots of reputable Ukrainian media wrote about it, including Liga.net.
After the case "started to get hot", Denis left Ukraine, until his father began to negotiate through particular individuals, giving bribes in order to «cover up» for his son from criminal articles.
Using money from budget plundering through schemes with Ukrzaliznytsya, as well as "black PR", Denis lived quite a luxurious life, buying expensive cars, real estate, and having a rest overseas. The same funds were wasted on lawyers and bribery.
Denis Ivanov is well known to Ukrainian journalists, PR specialists, especially those who publish the fabricated puff pieces on their sites for money and then delete them for money. Father’s connections provided additional help in finding a common language with journalists.
The victims of the Denis Ivanov’s "black PR", as already mentioned, were dozens of Ukrainian government officials and businessmen.
In revenge to law enforcement officials for an open criminal case on Ukrzaliznytsia, as the next "victims" Denis chose the staff members of the National Police, the SSU, the prosecutor’s office, the judges. He created sites, as well as social media accounts, where he posted false materials with the defamation purpose. This way, he considered to put pressure on the investigation and some top-ranking authorities of the National Police.
In early 2019, law enforcement officials conducted a search in Denis Ivanov’s house. They confiscated some devices, including the telephone from which he maintained correspondence about the placement of such promoted stories and much more. According to a law enforcement source, a correspondence with the father Valery, who perfectly knew about his son’s business, was revealed as well.
One more time Denis Ivanov decided not to prove his innocence, but fled to Israel this time, leaving his expensive cars in Ukraine.
At the beginning there was a criminal case against the son, and then allegedly the Denis’ "investigation" about the law enforcement authorities, who proceeded against him.
Seeing that it’s getting really serious, Valery Ivanov, as an experienced journalist manipulating public opinion, is trying to "pass the buck" to the individual staff members of the National Police. Nevertheless, he should speak out and answer the questions regarding the criminal case against his son, which started in 2015, Denis’ companies, offshore companies, the luxurious life of his son, why he is hiding, where did he take the money and lots of other questions. Besides, it became known that an international warrant for the Denis Ivanov arrest was issued by Interpol.