Law enforcers have reported the suspicion of Yevhen Chernyak, an entrepreneur and owner of one of Ukraine’s largest alcoholic holdings, as well as six top managers of his companies. They are suspected of financing Russia’s armed aggression, the Security Service of Ukraine said.
“The security service has collected the evidence base on the owner of one of the largest alcoholic holdings of Ukraine Evgeny Chernyak, who is suspected of financing armed aggression rf. According to the investigation, despite the full-scale invasion, his companies continued to do business with the aggressor country,” the SBU said in a statement on its Telegram channel on Friday night.
Reportedly, during 2022 only in the form of payment of taxes and fees controlled by Chernyak companies transferred to the budget of the Russian Federation about 6 billion in the hryvnia equivalent. The investigation documented that the enterprises of the defendant, located in four countries of Central Asia and the South Caucasus, purchased industrial quantities of alcohol and other related products in Russia. During searches in the office premises of the holding in Ukraine, documents and other physical evidence of illegal activities in favor of the aggressor country were found.
“Based on the collected evidence, the investigators of the security service reported on suspicion Chernyak and 6 other top managers of his companies on part 2 of article 28, article 111-2 of the Criminal code of Ukraine (aiding the state-aggressor, committed by prior conspiracy by a group of persons)”, – informs the SBU.
Reportedly, the issue of seizure of their private and corporate property for transfer to the ARMA management is now being decided. The investigation was conducted under the procedural guidance of the Kyiv regional Prosecutor’s office.
According to open sources, Chernyak, the founder of the Khortytsa brand, is the head of the supervisory board of the Global Spirits alcohol holding company.
financing Russia's armed aggression, GLOBAL SPIRITS, Khortytsa, SBU, Yevhen Chernyak