Investigating judge of the Supreme anti-corruption court on Thursday, July 20, elected a measure of restraint in the form of detention of two more suspects in the case of illegal activities of officials of the state-owned JSB “Ukrgasbank” causing damage of over 206 million hryvnias, namely the former Deputy Prosecutor General of Ukraine and his wife.
“After the detention of persons and delivery to the place of pre-trial investigation investigator judge will decide on the application of this measure of restraint”, – reports the Specialized anti-corruption Prosecutor’s office in the Telegram channel.
According to the version of the investigation, during 2014 – 2019 years, the management of “Ukrgasbank” ensured the conclusion of 52 fictitious contracts with “agents”, allegedly attracting large clients to the Bank, and groundlessly transferred more than 206 million UAH for their “services”.
At the moment in the mentioned criminal proceedings 5 main persons involved in this crime have been reported on suspicion, including the former head of the National Bank, who at the time of the crime held the position of the Chairman of the Board of Ukrgasbank, former and current officials of banking institutions.
As of today, the total number of participants in the scheme is 15 people, including the former chairman of the board of Ukrgasbank.
Ukreximbank board member Alexander Ignatenko is cooperating with the investigation into the Ukrgazbank case, where he served as a board member until March 2020, which is being conducted by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecution Service (SAP), and is taking all legal methods to prove his innocence, Ukreximbank said in a statement.
“Ukreximbank reports that the case currently being investigated by the NABU and the SAP is not related to the current activities of Ukreximbank. Ukreximbank has no information pointing to the illegal actions of a member of the bank’s board,” the financial institution said in a release on its website.
According to it, Ignatenko has been in Kyiv since the date the case went to court and has been performing his official duties as a board member of Ukreximbank, “contributing to supporting the defense capability of the state, its energy and food security.”
“Ukreximbank is interested in the full and impartial performance of the anti-corruption bodies of Ukraine assigned tasks to protect the interests of the state in the fight against corruption and is open to cooperation with investigative authorities,” – noted in the statement.
As reported, on October 31, the Supreme Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine selected a preventive measure in the form of bail of about 40 million UAH in connection with the investigation into the infliction of more than 200 million UAH of losses to Ukrgazbank.
In addition, the suspect must come to the detective, prosecutor and the court at the first request, to report the change of residence and work, to refrain from communicating with other suspects in the case and witnesses, to deposit a foreign passport.
As reported, anti-corruption bodies of Ukraine in early October reported on the exposure of illegal activities of officials of the state Ukrgazbank and the suspicion of the 5 main figures in this crime, including the former head of Ukrgazbank and resigned from the post of the National Bank of Ukraine Kyrylo Shevchenko.
According to the prosecutor’s office, it was established that the bank’s management, possessing information about banking service contracts concluded with large customers, used it to steal money.
“For this purpose, bank officials ensured the conclusion of fictitious contracts with individuals and legal entities, which allegedly being “agents” of the bank attracted large customers to it. For such “agent services” the bank illegally paid monthly “remuneration” to these persons,” – explained in the SAP.
The investigation found that during 2014-2020 under this scheme, 52 fictitious agents were groundlessly transferred money of the state bank in the amount of more than 206 million UAH.
Then, on 23 October, the NABU put former NBU head Shevchenko, deputy board chairman of Ukrgazbank Denys Chernyshov and deputy director of the corporate VIP client department Olena Khmelenko on the wanted list.
