Lauren Mochen believed she’d found something special with NHL player Arthur Kaliyev. What began as a blossoming romance quickly spiraled into a three-year ordeal, a hidden world of deception fueled by a relentless gambling addiction.
It started subtly. Kaliyev initially asked to borrow small amounts, citing issues with his online banking and requesting access to her PayPal account. Trust, built over months of daily conversation, led Mochen to comply. She would soon discover these were the first threads in a carefully constructed web of lies.
The requests escalated, accompanied by increasingly elaborate excuses. He even fabricated online personas, weaving a narrative of financial hardship and urgent need. Mochen found herself drawn into a cycle of transferring funds, depositing checks, and covering costs, all while believing she was helping him navigate legitimate banking problems.
The turning point arrived with a desperate text message during the playoffs. Kaliyev claimed his family owed money to dangerous individuals and pleaded with Mochen to use her PayPal account to send the funds, fearing for his family’s safety. She relented, unknowingly opening the floodgates to a devastating financial drain.
Checks began arriving as repayment, initially for small amounts, then increasing in value. $400, $1,500, $2,300 – each one cashed and digitally sent to Kaliyev. A Bahamas vacation followed, a brief respite before the shattering realization that her account was overdrawn by $7,500. Every single check had bounced.
The truth began to emerge in fragmented pieces. A careless remark – “My parents take all my payroll” – hinted at a deeper control. Mochen discovered she was funding Kaliyev’s entire lifestyle during the 2023-24 season, covering every expense while he maintained a facade of financial struggle.
Her suspicions grew as she observed his obsessive behavior. Sports dominated every moment, every television screen. He’d frantically check his phone, switching between games as if personally invested in every outcome. He communicated about money through Snapchat, where messages vanish, and secretly created a separate PayPal account using her information.
The financial toll mounted, exceeding $14,000 plus additional unauthorized transfers. After their breakup, Mochen filed an incident report, determined to document the extent of the deception. A conversation with Kaliyev’s sister confirmed her worst fears: the gambling was real, and the family had intervened to control his finances.
“He created this big, long, fake story,” Mochen revealed, “I’m in danger, I need help, but really he was just gambling all his money away.” She alleges Kaliyev also owed around $50,000 to Los Angeles Kings teammates from bets and pools, with even team trainers expressing concern during his rookie season.
Now playing for the Ottawa Senators organization, Kaliyev has not been charged with any crime. Mochen, however, is determined to pursue further legal action, hoping to expose the truth and prevent others from falling victim to a similar fate.
