Crypto Schemes

AMAZY 2.0 or Pyramid 101? Inside Kosenko & Nikolayev’s Dubai-Based “Move-to-Earn” Engine

By Tom Morris - July 12, 2025 No comments 4 mins read

Russian influencer heavyweight Sergei Kosenko and gaming executive Artem Nikolayev are attempting a revival of their controversial AMAZY initiative—this time from Dubai. With the help of over 350 influencers and a barrage of viral “cash giveaway” videos, some of which reportedly use fake dollar bills, the duo is pushing for a new global reach. Financial observers fear a second pump-and-dump round is underway, potentially trapping victims beyond the borders of the CIS.

Key Points

Influencer network:
AMAZY claims to collaborate with 350+ influencers, with a combined audience near 1 billion. Promotional materials feature names such as Brody Jenner and Nikita Mazepin.
(Sources: Вкладер, CoinMarketCap)
Dual-token hook:
Users must purchase NFT sneakers and can then earn two tokens: AMT (rewards) and AZY (governance). Insiders reportedly retain control over token minting and burning.
(Source: tokeninsight.com)
Price collapse of 99.93%:
AZY reached an all-time high of $0.4468 on August 4, 2022. It now trades around $0.0003—a pattern often seen in rug-pull schemes.
(Source: CoinMarketCap)
Cash-stunt hype:
Kosenko’s @mr.thank.you reels show stacks of dollar bills and offer $100,000 for following him and 56 others. Sources say the money shown is fake.
(Source: Scam-Or Project)
Dubai haven:
Following the collapse, Kosenko moved to the UAE, using its light-touch regulation to shield operations—similar to how Ruja Ignatova ran OneCoin.
(Source: icij.org)
Same playbook, new skin:
Critics on watchdog platform Vklader describe AMAZY as a clone of STEPN with pyramid-like mechanics under a polished influencer-driven surface.
(Source: Вкладер)

Short Narrative

AMAZY launched in mid-2022, promising users rewards for physical activity. Early users paid hefty sums for NFT sneakers in hopes of earning AZY tokens while walking. Within weeks, large insider wallets dumped nearly all of the circulating supply into illiquid pools, decimating investor value.

While investors absorbed the losses, Kosenko (49 million followers on Instagram) and Nikolayev (also known for Azur Games) quietly relocated to Dubai. Kosenko took on the alias “Mr. Thank You” and resumed operations through eye-catching videos and giveaways that require users to follow dozens of accounts—funneling them into a new round of promotions.

Extended Analysis

Dimension	Red Flags	Regulatory Impact
Legal	Criminal complaint filed in Dubai citing fraud and use of counterfeit currency; ₽206M frozen in Russia.	May trigger cooperation under Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLAT) between UAE, Russia, and EU; extradition possible if cases mature.
Regulatory	No formal prospectus, lack of audited tokenomics, and use of influencers without financial licenses.	Risk of breaching securities laws (e.g., Howey Test); UAE’s VARA regulations (Feb 2025) expose promoters to penalties.
Operational	Centralized wallet (0x7b66…Bd8F86) controls mint and burn; suspicious 670% volume-to-market cap ratio.	Exchanges may face KYC subpoenas; blockchain analysis can trace payouts to Dubai-based OTC desks.
Reputational	Public backlash across YouTube and Telegram; Vklader labels the project a scam.	Associated brands and talent agents face reputational risk, ESG criticism, and class-action liabilities.

Actionable Insight

Cut the funnel.
Closely monitor influencer campaigns on Instagram and TikTok linked to @mr.thank.you. Investigate any wallet addresses associated with link-in-bio redirects. Encourage exchanges to proactively block deposits from wallets tied to these promotional campaigns—effectively drying up liquidity before another collapse.
AMAZY 2.0 or Pyramid 101? Inside Kosenko & Nikolayev’s Dubai-Based “Move-to-Earn” Engine

Who’s Who & How They Connect

Person / Entity	Role in Scheme	Notable Links
Sergey Kosenko	Co-founder, promoter, currently residing in Dubai	Instagram: @mr.thank.you; ₽206M asset freeze in Russia; subject of criminal probe
Artem Nikolayev	Co-founder, technical architect (formerly at Azur Games)	Promotes “Realverse” concept (Source: Cointelegraph)
AMAZY Labs / FZCO	Entity behind app, token, and NFT marketplace	Owns smart contract 0x7b66…Bd8F86 on BNB Chain
Influencer Network (350+)	Marketing force—composed of crypto YouTubers, athletes, celebs	Documented in Vklader reports and AMA pitch decks (Sources: Вкладер, thegemhunters.net)
Dubai OTC Desks	Cash-out channels for post-dump funds	Under scrutiny, may face Know-Your-Transaction (KYT) orders