UKRAINE: Ukrainian business tycoon Ihor Kolomoisky, who is currently detained and already facing fraud charges, has been informed of a third set of accusations, as stated by a Ukrainian official on Thursday.
Serhiy Leshchenko, a former investigative journalist and parliamentarian who now serves as an adviser in President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s office, announced through Telegram that Kolomoisky has been made aware of these additional allegations while in custody.
Leshchenko stated that these fresh allegations stem from an inquiry conducted by Ukraine’s Bureau of Economic Security.
These allegations involve document forgery, illicit property takeovers orchestrated by an organised group, and the acquisition of property under dubious circumstances. The Bureau of Economic Security has not provided an immediate response.
Leshchenko said that investigators assert that Kolomoisky orchestrated a scheme to embezzle funds from Privatbank, which he owned, by creating the illusion that he was depositing money into the bank’s central office.
He stated that Kolomoisky was accused of forging deposits totaling about $24 million. In 2016, PrivatBank underwent nationalisation as part of a clean-up of the banking system.
Kolomoisky, who ranks among Ukraine’s wealthiest individuals, has consistently denied any involvement in wrongdoing.
Earlier this month, he was initially informed of suspicions related to fraud and money laundering and was subsequently detained until the end of October. While the option of posting bail was offered, his attorney stated they intended to appeal the decision and would not post bail.
Within a few days, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) named Kolomoisky as one of six suspects in the theft of 9.2 billion hryvnias ($250 million) from PrivatBank.
The recent allegations surface as Zelenskiy strives to combat corruption and limit the influence of business tycoons in order to underpin Ukraine’s efforts to become a part of the European Union.
Kolomoisky is counted among the tycoons who amassed their wealth in the ashes of the post-Soviet era and wielded significant political influence in Ukraine’s fledgling democracy. He is subject to U.S. sanctions and was previously a supporter of Zelenskiy, whose election he backed in 2019.
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