Notice of suspicion served on Servant of People Skorokhod, her aide and accomplice – NABU. VIDEO+PHOTOS

Ukrainian MP exposed for inciting bribery

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) have exposed a criminal group in Kyiv headed by Ukrainian MP Anna Skorokhod.

According to the investigation, members of the group offered a business representative, in exchange for USD 250,000, to arrange for the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine to impose sanctions on a rival company, Censor.NET reports.

Details of the investigation

The investigation found that the MP had brought her aide and several intermediaries into the "scheme", one of whom was responsible for receiving the bribe.

Case files show that during talks on the amount and timing of the unlawful benefit, the suspects agreed to split the payment into two tranches.

To hedge against risks and ensure they would collect the full amount, they told the company representative to sign an IOU stating that the money was allegedly being lent.

SBU and NABU officers documented the intermediary receiving the first instalment of the bribe, USD 125,000, right in the centre of Kyiv.

After the tranche was collected, the "client" was told that this part of the money would allegedly be passed on to NSDC officials.

However, the money was never passed to NSDC members or any other officials, as the suspects failed to find anyone willing to commit the unlawful acts.

Searches at the MP’s workplace and home, as well as at the homes of her accomplices, uncovered evidence of the criminal activity.

Based on the body of evidence collected by SBU, NABU and SAPO officers, members of the group have been served notices of suspicion of incitement to provide an unlawful benefit to an official holding a position of particular responsibility, for that official to use their office to act in the interests of the person offering the benefit, committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy.

A decision is pending on what measure of restraint will be applied to the suspects.

Searches at Anna Skorokhod’s premises

On the morning of 5 December, it emerged that NABU, SAPO and the SBU were conducting searches at the premises of MP Anna Skorokhod. She is suspected, together with accomplices, of extorting a $250,000 bribe.

Mindichgate

Earlier, Censor.NET reported that NABU was conducting searches at Mindich's residence, who left Ukraine a few hours before the searches.
As reported, on Tuesday, 4 November, searches were conducted in one of the branches of the separate divisions of NNEGC "Energoatom" in connection with a corruption case.
The NABU is also conducting searches at the home of former Energy Minister Halushchenko and at "Energoatom".
The NABU and the SAPO announced a large-scale operation to expose corruption in the energy sector.
Current Minister of Energy Svitlana Hrynchuk appears on recordings obtained by NABU as part of its investigation into corruption in the energy sector.
Later, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau uncovered an office in central Kyiv belonging to the family of former MP and current Russian senator Andrii Derkach, where a "black ledger" was kept, cash was tracked, and money-laundering operations were organized.
On 11 November, NABU released recordings featuring Minister Halushchenko and Mindich.
Chernyshova has been served with a notice of suspicion of illicit enrichment under Operation "Midas."
One of the suspects, Dmytro Basov, was remanded in custody with bail set at UAH 40 million.
Halushchenko's former adviser Myroniuk was remanded in custody with bail set at UAH 126 million.
The Cabinet of Ministers has submitted proposals to the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) to impose personal sanctions against Tymur Mindich and Oleksandr Tsukerman following an NABU investigation into corruption in the energy sector.
Earlier, Ihor Myroniuk and Energoatom’s executive director for security, Dmytro Basov, featured on the NABU tapes under the alias "Tenor", were remanded in custody for 60 days.
Another suspect, Lesia Ustymenko, was also placed in pre-trial detention for 60 days.
The High Anti-Corruption Court has ruled on a preventive measure for Ihor Fursenko, a suspect in an energy-sector corruption case (known on the NABU tapes as "Roshyk").
On 13 November, the High Anti-Corruption Court arrested Liudmyla Zorina, with bail set at 12 million hryvnia.
Zelenskyy imposed sanctions against Mindich and Tsukerman.
On 1 December, the High Anti-Corruption Court ordered that Timur Mindich, co-owner of the Kvartal 95 studio, be held in pre-trial detention as a measure of restraint.