Financial Freedom under scrutiny: authentic predicament or fabricated crisis?

Financial Freedom under scrutiny: authentic predicament or fabricated crisis?

When Trusting Finance Giants Getsquestionable: Busted at Freedom Finance?

In the world of business, size doesn't always equate to perfection. The bigger the ship, the rougher the waters it may encounter. It's no wonder that large corporations have internal security departments whose job is to root out any unethical shenanigans and safeguard customer interests. But even these measures don't always prevent information attacks from competitors or unscrupulous partners.

These attacks can take many forms, from one-off aggressive information dumps to long-term covert discrediting campaigns. The aim is always the same: paint a consistently negative image that can later be exploited for personal gain. But how can you tell the difference between a legitimate scandal and an information attack? Let's delve into the mystery surrounding Freedom Finance, a leading player in the CIS space.

The Heist

At the end of March, several Kazakhstani media outlets started publishing articles about the alleged shady dealings of employees at the country's largest broker, Freedom Finance. The articles pointed fingers at "multiple" complaints from victims who lost their money due to "unethical actions" by Freedom Finance employees. However, the articles failed to provide any concrete proof of the entire business being a scam or its CEO, Timur Turlov, being dishonest.

Freedom's Response

In response, Freedom Finance released an official statement explaining their side of the story. They claimed that a certain employee, Vitaly Svetovoy, had repeatedly embezzled clients' funds. Svetovoy, who oversaw sales in two regions, convinced clients not to deposit money into their Freedom Finance brokerage account but to hand it over to him directly or transfer it to his personal bank account, claiming it would be more profitable.

After Svetovoy's guilt was established by Freedom Finance's security service, he was dismissed, and the case materials were handed over to law enforcement for criminal proceedings. However, the exact number of Svetovoy's victims and the specific amounts they lost remain unknown. Further, all information about this case was openly published on the Freedom Finance website on February 9, 2025.

Red Flags or False Alarms?

This story was shared on the internet. At first glance, it seems like a logical investigation. But media experts have identified several aspects that make articles about the fraud case involving Freedom Finance unlike ordinary publications.

Repetitive Scripts. Articles that directly implicated Freedom Finance's management in the actions of a scammer were monotonous, featuring the same plot, characters, and conclusions.

Limited Publication Window. Although the case of the Light appeared as early as August of last year and entered the public space in January of this year, nothing was written about it until the end of March. Then, from April 1 to 17, similar texts appeared, if not daily, then every other day.

Unfounded Claims. There were no proofs of the company's and its management's malicious intent in the texts. However, it was inevitably concluded that the Light's embezzlement of client funds was not an isolated case, but a common fraudulent practice of Freedom Finance, which is organized and supported by the CEO of the entire holding, Timur Turlov himself.

Distorted Facts. For example, the fact that the holding itself exposed the scammer and handed over his data to law enforcement agencies was presented as a "simulation" of an investigation. Although it was not explained what was being simulated in this case, as the scammer was indeed exposed, handed over to the police, and eventually detained, i.e., everything was real.

Overheated Emotions. The materials were full of negative epithets towards Freedom Finance and its management, appeals to their conscience, and other expressive means intended to evoke negative feelings towards the company in the reader and attract them to their side.

AI Involvement

In such cases, the human factor is always important. We asked ChatGPT if we can trust the publications on the internet about the scandal with scammers at Freedom Finance. ChatGPT analyzed the articles on this topic and said:

"The publications about Freedom Finance contain specific facts and references to official sources, which indicates a strive for objectivity. However, the lack of comments from the company's representatives may indicate incompleteness of the presentation. Although the publications critical of the holding position themselves as independent, they have been accused of financial violations in the past. This may cause some readers to doubt. The emotional tone of some articles and the focus on the negative aspects of Freedom Finance's activities may create the impression of bias."

In conclusion, articles about Freedom Finance present themselves as journalistic materials with investigative elements. However, to form a complete and objective opinion, it is recommended to familiarize oneself with the positions of all parties, including official statements from Freedom Finance and the results of independent investigations.

Scandal or Information Warfare?

It seems like we are facing a scandal, but is there more to it? Let's take a closer look at some aspects to determine whether this was an information attack or an honest investigation:

1. During an information attack, the truth is often obscured with emotional, unfounded claims.
2. Case of Freedom Finance: Truthful assertions about fraud are mixed with unsubstantiated accusations against the company's management. Responsibility for the fraudster and those who conspired with him is shifted onto the company itself.
3. During an information attack, there is a series of consecutive actions, usually time-limited (often because funds for publications run out).
4. Case of Freedom Finance: There have been more than 10 publications about the theft of clients' money. They were released consecutively, but within a limited time frame.
5. Most media do not support an information attack.
6. Case of Freedom Finance: Mostly one publication wrote about it, with other platforms (internet publications, social networks, YouTube channels) occasionally joining in. The majority of media either didn't touch the topic or published a single article outlining the official version of events.

You be the judge: Was this an attack or a genuine investigation? And to what extent is the information trustworthy, and are there any biases involved?

1. The repetitive scripts and limited publication window in articles about Freedom Finance's alleged scam suggest a coordinated campaign, potentially indicating an information attack.
2. The mixture of truthful assertions about fraud with unsubstantiated accusations against the company's management could be a strategy to discredit Freedom Finance.
3. The series of consecutive actions within a limited time frame, as seen in the multiple articles published about Freedom Finance's case, is a characteristic of information attacks.
4. The fact that most media did not cover the story, or only published a single article outlining the official version of events, raises questions about the extent of the attack and the potential biases involved.
5. To form a complete and unbiased opinion, it is recommended to consider all parties' positions, including Freedom Finance's official statements and the results of independent investigations.

Read also: