Yermak has four diplomatic passports, money to hide abroad, prosecution says in court
The Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) sees a risk that former Head of the President’s Office Andriy Yermak, suspected of money laundering, may hide from the investigation and court, as he has the funds and opportunities to leave the country.
This was stated on Tuesday by a SAPO representative during a hearing of the High Anti-Corruption Court on choosing a preventive measure for Yermak, while substantiating the risks.
"The fact that the construction of residence No. 2 for him, on his order, was financed with his own money, as his representative – his father – claimed, and not from these [official] incomes, means that Andriy Borysovych Yermak has sufficient property resources to hide from pretrial investigation bodies and the court both in Ukraine and abroad," the prosecution representative said in court.
According to the prosecutor, Yermak has a passport for travel abroad and four diplomatic passports. She also said that Yermak had headed the President’s Office for almost six years, communicated with officials of other states, and has professional and social ties both with Ukrainian officials and abroad.
"He has the opportunity to contact such persons so that they could help him cross the state border without hindrance and later provide him with the opportunity to hide on the territory of a foreign state," the prosecution representative added.
Thus, according to the prosecutor, this is sufficient justification for the risk of hiding from the investigation and court.
In addition, according to the prosecutor, there is a risk of destruction of documents and items that are substantially important to the case. This risk is based, in particular, on the fact that Yermak, while committing the crime, used methods of conspiracy.
"In order to conceal his involvement in the criminal offense, he delegated his organizational and operational matters to trusted persons," she specified, noting that this included Yermak’s father.
According to the prosecutor, when visiting the site, measures were taken to ensure his anonymity, and his real name was not used in messenger correspondence.
The prosecution representative also said Yermak’s connections allow him to influence witnesses or other persons in the case. In particular, this concerns senior law enforcement officials whose appointments he influenced and with whom he communicated.
According to the prosecutor, pressure was exerted on a forensic expert, who received threats.
"Also during this pretrial investigation, facts were established of the deletion from state registers and systems of information concerning Andriy Borysovych Yermak himself, as well as his property," the prosecutor said.
