Yiannis Ioannou
The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), known for its groundbreaking Pandora Papers revelations, has published a report exposing the activities of Mark Chikarowski—an Australian who operated under the pseudonym "AusCokeKing" on the Dark Web. Dubbed the self-proclaimed "King of Coke," Chikarowski sold drugs online and accepted payments in cryptocurrencies. The investigation reveals that Chikarowski, who hails from Sydney and is the son of former New South Wales Liberal Party leader Kerry Chikarowski, held a bank account in Cyprus. Sydney is the capital of the Australian state of New South Wales. The case has garnered significant attention in the Australian media.
Police found drugs, luxury cars and cash during searches at Mark Tsikarowski's properties. (Image: NSW Police)
Cypriot Connection to Shell Companies
The ICIJ report also highlights Chikarowski's association with a shell company called Aquay Holdings Ltd. According to SFM documents, Chikarowski was listed as the contact for the company. SFM Corporate Services, a global firm known for facilitating the rapid setup of offshore companies, provided management services, nominee directors, and shareholders for Aquay Holdings in the UAE. The firm, which featured prominently in the Pandora Papers investigation, charged Chikarowski for these services over several years.
Documents show that Chikarowski consolidated Aquay's presence in the UAE and Seychelles with the assistance of SFM’s nominee director and shareholder services. SFM also billed Chikarowski for registering a representative in Ras Al-Khaimah, one of the emirates in the UAE, known for financial secrecy, shell companies, and opaque free zones.
The investigation further reveals that SFM invoiced Chikarowski for setting up a second bank account for Aquay Holdings in Cyprus. The ICIJ report concludes that Chikarowski leveraged these offshore structures to facilitate his illicit drug trade operations.
This article was translated from its Greek original
