On Tuesday, September 8, 2026, Marat Zhuravel filed a complaint in the US District Court for the Southern District of Ohio against Stockyi Ltd. and Lead Bank, alleging a sophisticated fraud scheme that resulted in the loss of over $800,000 in cash and cryptocurrency.
The lawsuit, which includes a jury demand, claims that Stockyi Ltd., operating through online personas “Alicia” and “The Professor,” lured investors into a purported investment fund by falsely promising high returns and institutional-level trading opportunities.
According to the complaint, Zhuravel was initially drawn into a WhatsApp group in June 2025, which presented itself as an investment “class” or “family.” This group, managed by “Alicia” and featuring “The Professor” as the investment advisor, was populated with individuals who shared fabricated success stories and praised the advisor’s expertise. Over the following months, Zhuravel was led to believe that Stockyi was a legitimate, SEC-registered investment platform that facilitated trades for institutional investors.
The complaint details how “Alicia” and “The Professor” gradually convinced Zhuravel to deposit increasing sums of money, starting with $10,000 in cryptocurrency on August 4, 2025. They employed various tactics, including promoting participation in a BlackRock-sponsored competition with promises of “substantial returns” and providing daily market analyses in a pseudo-analyst style. Zhuravel continued to invest, eventually reaching nearly $200,000 by early September 2025.
The alleged fraud escalated when Stockyi, through “Alicia,” began pressuring Zhuravel to take loans to increase his investment. In one instance, Zhuravel was offered an $85,000 loan by Stockyi customer service to cover additional trades. Ultimately, Zhuravel wired $465,380.83 to Lead Bank, at Stockyi’s direction, purportedly to resolve a negative balance and complete a large block trade. This transaction was a significant portion of Zhuravel’s total investment.
Lead Bank is accused of gross negligence and recklessness for allegedly failing to implement adequate anti-money laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) policies. The complaint states that Lead Bank accepted and processed the wire transfer, knowing or should have known that Stockyi was not a legitimate business and was involved in a fraud scheme. The lawsuit claims Lead Bank’s actions facilitated the fraudulent transfer of funds.
Zhuravel attempted to withdraw his funds, which he believed to be around $700,000. However, Stockyi reportedly refused, citing fictitious commissions and fees that needed to be paid upfront. “Alicia” then allegedly shifted to portraying herself as a victim and threatened Zhuravel with legal action if he did not pay her and “The Professor” additional fees.
Zhuravel states he has not recovered any of his investment from either Stockyi or Lead Bank.
The complaint outlines multiple causes of action, including fraud, negligent misrepresentation, unjust enrichment, promissory estoppel, gross negligence/recklessness, and civil conspiracy. Zhuravel is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, interest, attorneys’ fees, and costs.
Please contact BlockTribune for access to a copy of this filing.
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