Zelensky's former second-in-command, Yermak, charged in major corruption probe

President Volodymyr Zelensky's former chief of staff has been charged with money laundering tied to the construction of a luxury residential compound outside Kyiv, the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) said in a statement.

Although not named in SAPO's statement, the chief of staff in question is Andriy Yermak, a source in law enforcement familiar with the case told the Kyiv Independent.

Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) allege that more than Hr 460 million ($8.9 million) was funneled through the project over several years using a network of shell companies, cash transactions, and fictitious financial documents.

Law enforcement alleges that the group planned to construct four private mansions, each roughly 1,000 square meters in size, along with a shared wellness complex featuring a spa and swimming pool. The estimated cost of each residence exceeded millions of dollars.

Yermak has been under investigation in a probe into a $100 million corruption scheme centered around the state nuclear monopoly Energoatom. The Energoatom probe, launched last year, is the biggest corruption investigation of Zelensky's tenure.

Nine suspects have already been charged in the Energoatom case, among them Timur Mindich, a close Zelensky associate, ex-Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov and former Energy and Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko.

Suspects in the Energoatom case allegedly gave money to Chernyshov for the construction of the high-end houses near Kyiv, a law enforcement source told the Kyiv Independent.

One of the luxury houses near Kyiv financed through the Energoatom corruption scheme was meant for Yermak, the source added.

When asked about the luxury homes on the day of the charges, Yermak told the Ukrainian news outlet Ukrainska Pravda: "I don't own any houses; I only have one apartment and one car, which you saw."

The president has not made an official statement following the charges against Yermak. Zelensky's advisor Dmytro Lytvyn told journalists that "it is too early to assess the ongoing procedural actions."

Yermak, once Zelensky's right-hand man and gatekeeper, consolidated an unprecedented amount of power as head of the President's Office before resigning in November 2025 amid the ongoing corruption investigation.

A former lawyer and film producer with no prior political experience, Yermak leveraged his friendship and loyalty to Zelensky to quickly amass power and influence — as well as notoriety.

He was reportedly the driving force behind the administration's attempted dismantling of Ukraine's anti-corruption agencies last year, a move that incurred swift backlash at home and abroad, including mass protests. He was also reported to wage ruthless campaigns against his perceived political rivals.

Yermak also played a key role in foreign policy, liaising with U.S. officials on peace negotiations with Russia.