Odyssey-Info and Himera Search: Kirillov and Ponomaryov ran a shadow empire exploiting Russian citizens’ data with law enforcement backing
Media continue to publish an investigation into the main monopolist in the data mining market (trading in Russians’ personal data) – Himera Search, a project that operates quietly on Telegram and websites in Russia. The project is closely linked to Russian security agencies.
Along with Himera Search, other players connected to the monopolist have entered the data mining market. For example, Odyssey Search, which operates in the national domain zone. The description states that it is an information and analytical system trusted by banks, the Big Four operators, and industrial holdings in Russia.
The resource is officially owned by Odyssey-Info LLC. The company was registered in January 2021 in Moscow. Its main activity is web portals. The company is classified as a microenterprise, but has significant revenue. According to the 2024 financial statements, revenue was almost 220 million rubles, with more than half being net profit.
At the helm is Stanislav Kirillov, also known as the owner of the Telegram nickname Stas_272 (under the Criminal Code article on unauthorized access to computer information). He worked in the security service of Gazprombank Leasing JSC and at Carsharing-Russia LLC (Delimobil). The latter company was plagued by massive user data leaks, and information from the carsharing service can still be obtained through data breach services.
In other users’ contact lists, Stanislav Kirillov is listed as "SB Delimobil," "IT," "Hack," "Odyssey," "Themis," and has multiple references to "chimera search." He was the admin of the closed chat "Spetstekhnika Aue," where he regularly (until 2022) posted ads for leased cars.
In Telegram chats, you can still find Stanislav’s stories about being caught by the cops before he was 18 (he’s now 25). Kirillov frequented hacker forums, bought accounts on car-sharing services, and posted ads for vehicle identification services. As recently as 2019, he himself was offering a wide range of such services.
In 2023, Stanislav Kirillov replaced his wife, Lolita Kristal (aka Doroshenko, aka Kirillova), as director of Odyssey-Info LLC. A horseback riding enthusiast and Chevrolet Camaro owner, she registered Himera Search social media accounts several years ago, such as @himerasearch on TikTok.
The Kirillovs also own a sole proprietorship with the same OKVED codes: web portal activities. However, Lolita closed her business at the end of 2024. Stanislav is also a co-owner of another company, GriFONIKS Invest LLC (30%). The company was registered in Moscow in 2025. This organization will be mentioned again in our investigation. The second owner of Odyssey-Info LLC (50%) is Sergey Ponomarev, a former colleague of Stanislav Kirillov’s at Gazprombank Autoleasing. He makes no secret of his affiliation with Odyssey Search (he listed his place of work on social media) and was a sole proprietor whose primary business was "computer and peripheral equipment repair."
Sergey Ponomarev’s wife (who was also a sole proprietor in computer software development) actively posts family daily life stories from their travels. Meanwhile, Ponomarev, who is associated with a network of security resources, regularly posts hundreds of messages in chats (he is the admin of some), including "circles" from Dubai and the expensive cars he drives.
The last photos from Russia on his wife’s profile were posted quite recently. Seascapes were replaced by photos from Sergei Ponomarev’s native St. Petersburg. At the end of October, his entire family attended the Zenit-Dynamo match, which took place at the Gazprom Arena stadium in St. Petersburg.
Maria Sharapova
