This page provides background information, reference materials, and access to press releases related to
Ziankovich v. Wise US Inc.
The case is pending in U.S. federal court and concerns alleged discrimination in access to financial services.
Case Summary
Ziankovich v. Wise US Inc. is a federal civil rights case arising from the restriction and closure of a Wise account following lawful humanitarian transactions connected to organizations assisting former political prisoners of Belarus. The plaintiff alleges that Wise treated national origin and Belarus-related associations as proxies for illegality, refused to process lawful transactions despite full compliance, and implied criminal conduct without factual basis. The case seeks damages, declaratory relief, and injunctive relief under U.S. anti-discrimination law.
Why This Case Matters
This case addresses a broader issue affecting refugees and former political prisoners from sanctioned countries:
- whether financial institutions may deny services based on national origin or association, rather than individualized legal analysis;
- whether sanctions compliance may be used as a pretext for blanket de-risking;
- and whether lawful humanitarian activity can be chilled through proxy-based risk decisions.
About the Plaintiff
Youras Ziankovich is a U.S.-licensed attorney and former political prisoner of the Lukashenka regime in Belarus.
He spent four years in detention, much of it under incommunicado conditions, and was formally recognized by the U.S. Government as a wrongfully detained person. He returned to the United States in May 2025 and currently resides in Texas.
Procedural Status
- Court: United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas (Houston Division)
- Case number: 4:26-cv-01024
- Status: Pending
Key filings and procedural documents are available on the Docket page.
Press Releases
Official press releases and public statements related to this case are published on dedicated subpages under this section.
Press releases are issued to document significant procedural developments, court filings, or public-interest aspects of the case. Each release is dated and preserved as published.
Please note that press releases are informational and are not a substitute for court filings.
Source Materials
The following materials are available on this site for reference:
- public court filings (complaints, motions, orders);
- screenshots of the account interface showing restriction notices;
- contemporaneous correspondence related to account restriction and closure;
- contractual and policy documents governing the account relationship.
All materials published on this site are either court filings or contemporaneous records.
No NDA / Public Case
There is no non-disclosure agreement associated with this case.
The plaintiff intends to litigate the matter publicly and does not seek a confidential resolution that would prevent discussion of the facts or legal issues involved.
Contact
Members of the press may contact the plaintiff directly:
Youras Ziankovich
Email: business@ziankovich.com
Phone: +1 (346) 223-0284
Please note that pending litigation limits the scope of commentary. Factual clarifications and references to filed materials can be provided.
Attribution
If referencing this case, please cite:
Ziankovich v. Wise US Inc., No. 4:26-cv-01024 (S.D. Tex.)