Court arrests ex-deputy prime minister in Ukraine's biggest corruption case
The High Anti-Corruption Court on Nov. 18 placed former Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov in custody for two months in a large-scale corruption case and set bail at Hr 51.6 million ($1.2 million).
He did not respond to requests for comment. Chernyshov's defense lawyers have denied the accusations of wrongdoing.
On Nov. 11, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) charged Chernyshov with illicit enrichment as part of a corruption case involving state nuclear power company Energoatom. Seven other suspects have also been charged, and Timur Mindich, a close associate of President Volodymyr Zelensky, is allegedly the ringleader.
According to tapes released by the Anti-Corruption Bureau, participants of the alleged corruption scheme gave $1.2 million and 100,000 euros to Chernyshov.
Chernyshov has used the funds obtained through the Energoatom corruption scheme to finance the construction of high-end houses near Kyiv, the Bihus.info investigative journalism project reported on Nov. 12, citing the NABU tapes.
Bihus.info alleged that the villas built by Chernyshov were meant for himself, Mindich, and the country's leadership. The President's Office declined to comment.
This is not the first time Chernyshov faces corruption charges.
In June, Chernyshov was charged with bribery and abuse of office in a separate case. He was released on Hr 120 million ($2.9 million) bail in July.
Later the same month, he was fired from the position of deputy prime minister and minister for national unity.
Since Zelensky was elected president in 2019, Chernyshov has held different government jobs, including governor of Kyiv Oblast, minister for communities and regional development, and CEO of state oil and gas company Naftogaz.
