The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) have exposed a group headed by a former state secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for misappropriating over UAH 37 million in donations intended to support Ukraine, NABU has said.
"NABU and SAPO exposed an organized criminal group led by a former state secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. Its participants seized funds from foreign citizens and donors intended to support Ukraine at the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion, and legalized them through conversion centers," NABU reported in its Telegram channel on Monday.
NABU informs that the MFA state secretary "persuaded international donors and subordinate employees of foreign diplomatic missions to direct financial assistance to the bank account of a controlled public organization."
"According to expert conclusions, the money received by this NGO legally had the status of targeted budget funds of the special fund of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine," the Bureau emphasizes.
Subsequently, according to the report, the funds were withdrawn to the accounts of controlled sole proprietors and legal entities, which transferred them to conversion centers for cash withdrawal.
"The scheme participants directed the laundered money to their own enrichment. To create the appearance of legal activity for the public organization, the scheme participants produced fictitious letters and signed grant agreements containing false information," NABU specifies.
The investigation has currently established the legalization of funds totaling over UAH 37 million (approximately $1.28 million at the time the crime was committed).
Among the suspects are: the former state secretary of the MFA (2020-2024), the organizer of the scheme; the former head of the state secretary’s office of the MFA, a current diplomatic employee; an adviser to the former minister of foreign affairs, the head of the controlled NGO; and the NGO’s accountant.
The Cabinet of Ministers appointed Oleksandr Bankov as state secretary of the MFA on July 15, 2020. He held this position until November 2024.
According to the Anti-Corruption Action Center, the suspects also include: the former head of the MFA state apparatus and current adviser to the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the UN Office in Geneva, Ramiz Ramazanov; the head of the controlled public organization Center for International Cooperation Support, Vladyslav Reznikov; and the accountant of the public organization.
