The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) has uncovered new facts regarding a corruption scheme in which public officials and their associates systematically received illicit benefits from "Energoatom" contractors. This was reported by the NABU press service.
According to the investigation, members of the criminal organization demanded "kickbacks" ranging from 10% to 15% of the contract value.
"In fact, a system was created whereby a strategic enterprise with revenue exceeding 200 billion hryvnias was controlled not by top managers, but by an outsider who took on the role of a shadow manager without any authority", the investigation states.
Companies were effectively coerced to pay a percentage to avoid blocking payments for completed work or losing their supplier status. Within the group, this practice was dubbed "barrier".
According to the investigation, a former deputy head of the State Property Fund, who later became an advisor to the Minister of Energy (Ihor Myroniuk), and a former law enforcement officer who held the position of Executive Director for Physical Protection and Security at "Energoatom" (Dmytro Basov), were involved in the scheme.
The investigation has currently identified the following individuals in this high-profile corruption case:
- Former advisor to the Minister of Energy - Ihor Myroniuk.
- Executive Director for Physical Protection and Security at "NAEK Energoatom" - Dmytro Basov.
- Businessman and leader of the criminal organization - Timur Mindich.
- Four individuals - back-office workers involved in money laundering.
By leveraging connections in the ministry and the state company, they controlled personnel appointments, procurements, and the flow of funds.
It is worth noting that NABU detectives conducted searches at the house of businessman and co-owner of "Kvartal 95" studio, ally of President Volodymyr Zelensky, Timur Mindich, on November 10. The businessman reportedly left Ukraine hours before the NABU raid. NABU confirmed that they are conducting a large-scale operation with SAP to expose corruption in the energy sector.
"15 months of work and 1000 hours of audio recordings. The activities of a high-level criminal organization have been documented", the statement said.
The investigation team has established a large-scale corruption influence scheme over strategic state sector enterprises, including "NAEK Energoatom". NABU and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office have released part of the audio recordings from the extensive investigation. The operation is codenamed "Midas".
