On May 7, 2026, Bulgarian border police detained Boris Alyushin at the Turkey-Bulgaria crossing after his passport triggered an Interpol Red Notice issued by the Israeli State Prosecutor. Alyushin was subsequently extradited to Israel to face charges related to a long-running iGaming payment scheme.
The detainee is a central figure in the Russian Illusion operation, launched seven years ago by Lahav 433, an elite unit of the Israeli police. Israeli authorities identify Alyushin as the organizer of a payment processing network supporting several iGaming platforms, including BetWinner, 1xSlots, 22Bet, and 777Royalty, alongside the financial gambling product FXBet.
Prosecutors allege that Alyushin directed a four-person team that facilitated deposit transactions for Israeli players starting in 2016. The operation relied on shell companies routing funds through accounts at Bank Hapoalim, Bank Leumi, and Bank Mizrahi-Tefahot. The group faces charges of illegal gambling organization, aggravated fraud, tax violations, and money laundering.