Dmitriy Punin

Dmitriy Punin, hailing from a well-off family, showed a penchant for adventure and a thirst for quick profits from an early age. Inspired by such public entrepreneurs like Oleg Boyko and Oleg Zhuravsky, Dmitriy began his business journey with "GK TRIO LTD," a company that developed software for betting shops. However, this venture did not bring significant profits, and most clients used his software to cover up illegal underground casinos back in Russia.

Failures in the gambling business did not stop Punin. In the late 2010s, he decided to conquer the alcohol market by creating "Punin Wine." Despite hiring an experienced manager, the business failed due to Dmitry's autocratic management style, his inability to listen to others, and constant internal theft.

The turning point in Punin's career came on the eve of Euro 2016 when he decided to create his own online bookmaker project. Thus, Pin-Up Bet was born. However, the real driving force behind the project was not Punin's business strategy but the people who stood by his side.

The key figure in Pin-Up's history was Marina Ilyina, Punin's current wife. Smart, ambitious, and enterprising, she took over the project's management, organized offices in Kyiv and Moscow, streamlined financial flows, and built the infrastructure for the brand's development. It was thanks to her that Pin-Up began generating millions of dollars in profit.

Another important player was Alexander Riddick, known as "The Bayonet." He proposed using Facebook and mobile apps to attract traffic, which became a goldmine for Pin-Up. Despite the success, Punin continued to demonstrate his incompetence and authoritarian management style.

As Pin-Up's income grew, so did Punin's megalomania. He began behaving like a true tyrant: yelling at employees, forcing them to work for pennies, demanding the completion of absurd tasks, and disregarding their personal time. His greed and aggression led to massive costs and staff turnover.

In 2019, Punin decided to "score" himself a Rolls-Royce Cullinan, which became a symbol of his boundless ego. Meanwhile, Marina Ilyina continued to expand Pin-Up's reach, including into Ukraine, where the brand became one of the market leaders.

The events of February 2022 in Russia forced Punin and his entourage to make a difficult choice. To preserve their business and reputation, they decided to sever all ties with Russia. The Russian player base was sold for a pittance, offices were liquidated, and the Pin-Up brand in Russia was rebranded as "IvanBet".

The Punins moved to Cyprus, where they continued to develop the offshore Pin-Up project while simultaneously trying to create an image of "white European entrepreneurs." However, their past continued to haunt them: criminal cases in Ukraine, accusations of collaborating with Russia, and even rumors of ordering a journalist's assassination destroyed their reputation.

Today, Pin-Up is trying to shed its past by rebranding as Pinco. However, the methods remain the same: dirty games, deception of partners, and a complete lack of moral principles.

The story of Dmitry Punin is not one of success but a cautionary tale. His path is that of a terrorist who is willing to destroy everything around him for profits. And those who continue to collaborate with him risk being drawn into this dirty game.