Funds for Yermak's bail begin to arrive, currently total UAH 14.5 mln out of UAH 140 mln - HACC

Funds for the bail of former Head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak, suspected of money laundering in elite construction projects, have begun to arrive at the account of the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC). Currently, UAH 14.5 million has been received out of the UAH 140 million set by the court as an alternative to custody, the HACC told the Interfax-Ukraine agency.

"Bail funds have begun to arrive. Currently, the amount is UAH 14.5 million," the court stated.

The HACC added that several contributors are involved but did not specify whether these are individuals or legal entities. Personal data of the contributors also remains undisclosed.

At the same time, lawyer and former business partner of Yermak, acting CEO of the Babyn Yar National Historical and Memorial Reserve Roza Tapanova, wrote on her Facebook page: "I have decided to contribute UAH 8,000,000 to the special deposit account for the formation of the bail determined by the decision of the High Anti-Corruption Court as a preventive measure for Andriy Borysovych Yermak."

According to her, the indicated sum is part of her official income as stated in her annual declaration.

On the morning of May 14, the HACC chose a preventive measure for Yermak in the form of detention with an alternative of UAH 140 million bail.

Yermak was present during the announcement of the court’s decision.

By the court’s decision, the suspect was taken into custody in the courtroom.

In the event of bail being posted, the suspect will be subject to the following obligations: to appear upon every request of the investigator, detective, prosecutor, and court; to report changes in residence and work; not to leave the limits of the city of Kyiv; to surrender documents for foreign travel for storage and diplomatic passports to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; to refrain from communicating with other suspects, including former Vice Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov and businessman Tymur Mindich (a figurant in the "Midas" case); and to wear an electronic monitoring device.

After the court’s decision was announced, Yermak stated his intention to appeal it. The prosecution stated they would decide on an appeal after reviewing the full text of the ruling, which will be announced on May 18.

On the evening of May 11, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) notified Yermak of suspicion as one of the participants in an organized group involved in the laundering of UAH 460 million on elite construction near Kyiv.

Yermak himself denied the existence of any elite real estate in his possession.

SAPO had asked the court to select a preventive measure for Yermak in the form of detention with an alternative bail of UAH 180 million.