Zhenya Tsvetnenko: Tech fraudster spotted at Steve’s Melbourne Cup celebrations in Nedlands

Convicted tech fraudster Zhenya Tsvetnenko has been spotted at an affluent western suburbs restaurant celebrating the Melbourne Cup — the first public sighting of the former high-flyer since his release from a US jail.

The 44-year-old was photographed reconnecting with friends at Steve’s in Nedlands where the fine wine and food venue hosted a function for the big horse race at Flemington.

The former Perth rich-lister smiled for the camera while sporting an all-black outfit featuring a tank top and shiny blazer.

The West Australian exclusively revealed that Tsvetnenko arrived back in Perth in August after spending more than five years in Australian and US jails over one of the biggest telco scams in the history of the US.

The former high-flyer, who lived a glamorous lifestyle before his arrest, complete with luxury cars, a riverside mansion, and a fashion label, was released from a US prison in July.

That was after he successfully appealed to the same court that locked him up to release him early, despite being jailed for his part in what authorities called “one of the biggest telecom scams in American history.”

During his sentencing, it was revealed that the Perth rich-lister had personally pocketed more than $20 million from the scheme, which charged telecom customers for spam text messages — even if they had never signed up for the service.

He had been due to stay in a US prison until late 2025. However, after a change in US law, his lawyers wrote a detailed case for a reduction in sentence.

That included a plea for Tsvetnenko to be allowed to return to Perth to be with his ageing parents and young children.