Trending Now - Zelenskyy's Ex-chief of Staff Faces Corruption Investigation
WHO:
ABC News - Andrii Yermak, former chief of staff to President Zelenskyy, is named as a suspect in a corruption investigation.
The Kyiv Independent - Prosecutor Valentyna Hrebeniuk is involved in the case against Yermak.
The Kyiv Independent - Ihor Fomin is Yermak's lawyer.
The Kyiv Independent - Olexiy Haran is a politics professor at the Kyiv Mohyla Academy.
The Kyiv Independent - Dmytro Lytvyn is an adviser to President Zelenskyy.
WHAT:
NBC News - Yermak is suspected of participating in a criminal group that laundered around $10.5 million through an elite housing development outside the capital Kyiv.
The Kyiv Independent - Yermak stated, "I deny any accusations. I have nothing to hide, and I will file an appeal."
The Kyiv Independent - Yermak's lawyer, Ihor Fomin, described the charges as "unfounded" and "95% assumptions."
ABC News - Yermak is implicated in a major graft probe.
The Kyiv Independent - The High Anti-Corruption Court placed Yermak in custody for two months and set bail at Hr 140 million ($3.1 million).
The Kyiv Independent - Yermak is charged with money laundering tied to a construction project.
The Kyiv Independent - More than Hr 460 million ($8.9 million) were allegedly laundered through a construction scheme.
The Kyiv Independent - If convicted, Yermak could face up to 12 years in jail.
The Kyiv Independent - Six additional people were charged in the same case.
WHERE:
ABC News - The investigation is taking place in Ukraine.
The Kyiv Independent - The court hearing occurred at the High Anti-Corruption Court in Kyiv, Ukraine.
The Kyiv Independent - The alleged laundering occurred through a construction project in the village of Kozyn, a wealthy area south of Kyiv.
WHEN:
The Kyiv Independent - Yermak was charged on May 11, 2026.
The Kyiv Independent - The court hearing regarding Yermak's custody took place on May 12, 2026.
The Kyiv Independent - The High Anti-Corruption Court's decision to place Yermak in custody was made on May 14, 2026.
WHY:
The Kyiv Independent - Investigators allege that the funds for the construction project were generated via a corruption scheme involving Energoatom.
The Kyiv Independent - Yermak's alleged involvement in corruption is seen as a natural outcome of ongoing investigations by anti-corruption agencies.
HOW:
The Kyiv Independent - Prosecutor Hrebeniuk alleged that Yermak corresponded with a contact named "Veronika Feng Shui Office" about government appointments, sending her candidates' birth dates.
The Kyiv Independent - Investigators found three documents titled "SBU Ukraine maximum program" in a search of Yermak's driver's car, outlining planned appointments within the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).
The Kyiv Independent - The prosecution claims that 10-15% kickbacks were collected from Energoatom's contractors.
The Kyiv Independent - An Excel spreadsheet found on an architect's phone listed meetings related to the construction, with Yermak identified by codenames.
The Kyiv Independent - Yermak allegedly consulted an astrologer regarding government appointments, according to the prosecution.
(UPDATED May 14, 2026 19:34 UTC)
Ukrainian official Yermak is under investigation for allegedly being part of a criminal group that laundered approximately $10.5 million through a luxury housing development near Kyiv. In response to the accusations, Yermak firmly denied any wrongdoing, stating, "I deny any accusations. I have nothing to hide, and I will file an appeal," while his lawyer described the charges as "unfounded" and based on "95% assumptions." Prosecutor Hrebeniuk claims Yermak communicated with a contact about government appointments and that investigators discovered documents related to planned appointments within the Security Service of Ukraine during a search of Yermak's driver's car.
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(UPDATED May 14, 2026 17:38 UTC)
Andrii Yermak, who previously served as chief of staff to President Zelenskyy, has been named a suspect in a significant corruption investigation in Ukraine, with charges of money laundering linked to a construction project in the village of Kozyn. The High Anti-Corruption Court has placed Yermak in custody for two months and set bail at Hr 140 million, while six additional individuals have also been charged in connection with the case. Prosecutors allege that the funds for the construction scheme were generated through a corruption scheme involving Energoatom, with kickbacks of 10 to 15 percent reportedly collected from contractors.