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Two ministers have resigned in the wake of a corruption scandal in Ukraine. Investigators claim to have uncovered a money laundering scheme in the energy sector. The gang is led by a close associate of Zelensky.
The corruption scandal in Ukraine is widening: Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko and Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk have resigned at the request of President Volodymyr Zelensky. Zelensky's request came after the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) reported a large-scale money laundering scheme in the energy and defense sectors. Both ministers denied the charges against them.
Oleksandr Abakumov, the head of the relevant investigative team, stated that during the investigation, thousands of hours of audio recordings were made, which provide evidence against a high-ranking criminal group operating in the energy and defense sectors. So far, five suspects have been arrested, out of seven people suspected of belonging to the criminal group.
How did the corrupt system work?
According to the investigation, members of the criminal group demanded bribes amounting to 10 to 15 percent of the contract values from contractors of the energy company "Energoatom", which is the largest energy supplier in Ukraine.
"A system was effectively created in which a strategic company with a turnover of over 200 billion hryvnia (about 4 billion euros) was not managed by top management, the supervisory board or the state as the owner, but by an outsider who, without authorization, had taken on the role of a dummy manager," NABU stated in a press release.
The special role of "Carlson"
According to the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU), a person with the nickname "Karlson" controlled the so-called "laundry", through which money obtained through criminal activities was laundered into the legal financial and economic network.
MP Yaroslav Zhelezniak of the parliamentary group "Holos" (Voice) says that the "Carlson" who appears in the NABU wiretaps is businessman Timur Mindikh. According to Ukrainian media, NABU also raided Mindikh's house on November 10.
Mindikh is considered a close associate and confidant of President Volodymyr Zelensky. He is, among other things, a co-owner of the Kvartal-95 television company, which Zelensky was also a co-founder of. According to a source in Ukrainska Pravda, Mindikh left Ukraine just hours before the raids.
Calls for punishments and penalties
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky demanded that the scandal be investigated and those responsible brought to justice.
Prime Minister Yulia Zvyrydenko reaffirmed her readiness to support anti-corruption authorities in their investigations. In an interview with TV Suspilne, she said: “Fighting corruption is one of the government’s top priorities. There must be unconditional convictions and punishments for all crimes.” According to her, the government has suspended the powers of Energoatom’s supervisory board and ordered an immediate audit of the company, especially of its procurement practices./DW
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