NACP is to re-examine Halushchenko’s declaration: they are looking for hidden assets and extravagant spending

The National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (NACP) has launched a full re-examination of the declaration submitted by former Minister of Justice Herman Halushchenko. The investigation by anti-corruption officials was prompted by evidence of alleged fraud involving the payment of the former official’s children’s tuition fees at a prestigious private school in Switzerland using funds from an offshore back office.

This was reported by MP Yaroslav Zhelezniak, according to Censor.NET.

Offshore money instead of a ‘generous godfather’

As stated in the agency’s letter to Zhelezniak, the basis for the in-depth monitoring of his financial situation was a series of investigative reports on Zheleznyak’s YouTube channel, ‘Zhelezniak the MP’. These reports, in particular, highlighted the fact that Halushchenko’s children were attending the extremely expensive Swiss private school COLLEGE ALPIN BEAU SOLEIL SA.

"They approached us because we were producing an investigative report on how, in his documents, Herman had stated that his godfather was supposedly paying for his children’s education, when in fact it was being paid for by an offshore company using money from the back office. Let’s put it this way… I’ve never responded to the NACP with such pleasure and enthusiasm before," Zhelezniak remarks ironically.

He also hinted that he plans to provide the NACP with further details that were not included in the official request: "P.S. Zakharchenko’s little house needs to be added to that as well."

What exactly is the NACP looking for?

In accordance with the provisions of the relevant law, ‘On the Prevention of Corruption’, the National Agency for Corruption Prevention (NAZK) has officially requested that the Member of Parliament provide all available primary evidence that may indicate that Halushchenko has breached financial control requirements.

In particular, the audit focuses on the following criteria:

The fact that movable and immovable property officially registered in the names of third parties is being used;
Making large expenditures that significantly exceed the family’s officially declared income;
Any other undisclosed information regarding assets that should have been included in the ‘upon leaving office’ declaration.

The Case of Herman Halushchenko

Earlier, the media reported that Halushchenko had been detained whilst attempting to cross the border. Subsequently, the NABU confirmed that, whilst he was crossing the state border, NABU detectives detained the former Minister of Energy as part of the ‘Midas’ case.
The media have also reported that Halushchenko will be charged once he has been transferred to Kyiv.
Halushchenko has been notified that he is under suspicion of laundering over $112 million.
Halushchenko appealed to the High Anti-Corruption Court against his "unlawful detention", but the court remanded him in custody.
On 17 February, the former minister was arrested, with bail set at 200 million hryvnias.