Starting from February 2026 I have become the target of a coordinated and malicious media attack involving the simultaneous publication of identical or near-identical articles across seven ostensibly independent websites. These articles appeared in English, Russian, Italian and other languages between 22 and 23 February 2026 and falsely alleged that I am under investigation in multiple jurisdictions for sanctions violations, financial misconduct and involvement in the murder of a political activist.
These allegations are entirely false, unsubstantiated and constitute deliberate defamation.
I categorically reject these claims in their entirety.
Following the emergence of this campaign, I commissioned an independent investigation conducted by forensic cyber and intelligence experts from the UK. Their findings expressly prove that the material does not represent legitimate journalism, but rather a coordinated misinformation operation designed specifically to damage my reputation.
Despite presenting themselves as local news organisations based in the UK, Italy, Switzerland and Ukraine, technical and forensic analysis demonstrates that these websites form part of a network of fake news platforms managed by Russian-speaking operators.
The investigation further established that the initial dissemination was coordinated through a cluster of linked sites, including an outlet known as “Leeds STV” and four associated domains exhibiting shared technical infrastructure. The publishing patterns and shared coding errors indicate control by a single operator group engaged in a criminal blackmailing activity. The material was then amplified by a separate Russian-language dissemination network to maximise reach and manufacture a veneer of credibility.
Investigation shows that this operation manufactures legitimacy through systematic deception, impersonating real journalists, fabricating editorial identities, deploying AI-generated personas and falsely claiming affiliation with legitimate institutions. These methods are designed to obscure the origin of the material and mislead readers into believing the content is credible.
In March 2025, legitimate journalist Paolo Sorbello publicly exposed on his X and LinkedIn accounts the misuse of his identity by Leeds STV, confirming that articles had been falsely attributed to him without consent or involvement.
The broader motive behind this network is extortion. The investigation confirms that these platforms operate as part of a “pay-to-play” and “pay-to-delete” ecosystem, in which defamatory content is published, disseminated across linked domains, and then offered for removal in exchange for payment.
The targeting of me is consistent with the broader digital extortion campaign targeting business figures, particularly individuals originating from the Former Soviet Union, which has been well-documented across multiple victims during the same period and is supported by a significant volume of formal complaints filed against these operators.
Independent public reporting further supports these findings. In December 2025, EU Reporter identified entities including Leeds STV and Ukrainian site FTTC as part of an extortion-linked disinformation network targeting business figures from the Former Soviet Union.
Similarly, the “Stop Kompromat” research initiative has documented coordinated “pay-to-delete” schemes spanning dozens of domains, including Glavk1 and Repost News, in which operators disseminate defamatory content across linked sites and then solicit payment for its removal, rather than issuing corrections or retractions.
Taken together, this body of evidence demonstrates the existence of a structured, cross-border disinformation and extortion ecosystem in which my case is one example of a wider pattern of abuse.
Multiple international legal actions have previously been brought against operators of these networks, resulting in court-ordered takedowns and corrective measures. I intend to pursue all available legal remedies in this matter as well.
Relevant authorities have been notified, and further legal action is underway. All rights are strictly reserved against any party involved in disseminating these baseless and damaging claims, whether past, present or future.
ENDS
MEDIA ENQUIRIES: [email protected]
