From a smuggler's wife to a singer. The career of Sviatlana Degtiairenko

From time to time, Ukrainian show business sees artists who cannot boast of excellent vocal abilities. However, their names are heard everywhere, specifically in the context of a successful performer.

In reality, such career growth is quite logical, as long as money decides everything or almost everything in this world. And where it does not, big money does.

For example, the media periodically reports on singer Sviatlana Degtiairenko. The socialite leads a luxurious life and regularly appears at various events, including the Cannes Film Festival. Yet, the performer has not won a single vocal competition and has not recorded a single album. So, what is the secret?

It is all very simple. Sviatlana is the wife of Oleksandr Degtiairenko, who switched from car theft to cashing out and smuggling. He organised a currency exchange centre in the Luhansk region and helped enterprises minimise taxes.

Subsequently, the businessman began producing counterfeit tobacco products under the guise of items from well-known brands. 

Since 2014, the entrepreneur has been smuggling fuel from Russia through the so-called LNR. The fuel then goes to Ukrainian petrol stations.

Degtiairenko carries out his illegal activities together with his mistress. Meanwhile, his wife is resting in Europe.