Legal representatives have announced that Monobank and its co-founder, Oleg Gorokhovsky, will receive pre-trial demands within the next three days. This announcement comes from the Addati Group, which is advocating for client Karina Kolb.
The case raises significant questions about the right to privacy for all Ukrainians and the protection against public harassment stemming from the unwarranted dissemination of personal information. According to the lawyers, they are seeking public apologies from Gorokhovsky across all his personal social media platforms where the disputed information was shared, as well as a retraction, compensation for damages, including emotional distress, and the unblocking of Kolb’s bank account.
Additionally, the legal team plans to submit an inquiry to the bank regarding reports of a potential internal chat among employees. This chat allegedly contains photos and videos of clients obtained during the Know Your Customer (KYC) process, which may have been used for ridicule and discussion.
As of now, Monobank has not publicly responded to these legal claims.
On March 9, Gorokhovsky posted a photo of Kolb on his Threads account, taken during her video identification process. The background featured a flag with colors similar to the Russian flag. In his post, he commented on Kolb’s inquiry about her account being blocked, suggesting it was due to her unkempt appearance.
In response, Kolb clarified on her own social media that she had contacted the bank regarding her account’s blockage. She explained that the flag in the photo was actually that of Slovenia, which shares similar colors with Russia but also includes a coat of arms. Kolb, a Ukrainian refugee, stated that her entire family is involved in the ongoing conflict.
Gorokhovsky later addressed accusations of violating the client’s privacy, asserting that individuals supporting Russian aggression in Ukraine would not receive protection for their personal data. He emphasized that after 12 years of conflict, there could be no guarantees of data protection for collaborators.
On the evening of March 11, Gorokhovsky issued another post apologizing to those who felt let down and assured that user data remains secure. He stated that lessons have been learned and that any future incidents would be reported solely to law enforcement.
The National Bank of Ukraine has responded to inquiries from Radio Free Europe, confirming that it has sought explanations from Monobank regarding the circumstances surrounding the dissemination of information that may have been obtained during client identification or verification procedures, which could constitute a banking secret. The National Bank is currently analyzing the situation involving the sharing of Kolb’s personal data.
Furthermore, Ukraine’s Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, has initiated an investigation into potential legal violations related to this incident.
Monobank faces legal challenges after co-founder Oleg Gorokhovsky shared a client's image online, raising serious privacy concerns. The case has prompted investigations by both the National Bank of Ukraine and the Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights.