Ukrainian MP and businessman Vadym Stolar has been notified of suspicion in absentia as part of an investigation into corruption schemes involving former deputy head of the Presidential Office Iryna Mudra and former MP Maksym Mykytas.
"Stolar has been notified of suspicion in absentia," law enforcement sources told Interfax-Ukraine.
According to the source, Stolar is charged under the same articles as the other defendants in the corruption scheme, except for the episode involving the legalization of funds to pay bail for a suspect in the "Midas" case (Article 209 of the Criminal Code).
The sources said the suspicion notice was issued in absentia because Stolar is currently abroad. Details of the suspicion have not yet been disclosed.
As previously reported, anti-corruption authorities said that, based on evidence obtained, NABU detectives and SAPO prosecutors had notified members of the criminal organization and the individuals they recruited of suspicion under Articles 255, 191, 206-2, 209, 358 and 361 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
On Aug 19, NABU and SAPO released a video regarding a special operation called "Forrest Gump": individuals who legalized UAH 150 million to pay bail for a defendant in the "Midas" case were exposed and notified of suspicion. The group included, among others, a deputy head of the Presidential Office of Ukraine and a former MP.
Later that day, on Aug 19, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree dismissing Iryna Mudra from her post as deputy head of the Presidential Office.
On Aug 20, NABU and SAPO released a second video concerning corruption by the same senior officials, titled "Femida," exposing the illegal seizure of real estate and company assets through document forgery. The former deputy head of the Presidential Office also features in this episode.
In the recorded conversations, the defendants, among other things, complain about being unable to obtain information from NABU and SAPO, while information can be obtained from the National Police, the SBU and the SBI. They also discuss how the anti-corruption system could be controlled.
Later on Aug 20, NABU and SAPO commented on the previously released videos titled "Forrest Gump" and "Femida," concerning the exposure of corruption schemes involving senior officials of the Presidential Office and a former and a sitting MP.
"The activities of the criminal organization were aimed, among other things, at seizing high-value real estate as well as other assets of legal entities through unauthorized interference in the information (automated) networks of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, and the forgery of court rulings and title documents," NABU said in a statement on its Telegram channel.
According to the statement, in the fall of 2025 members of the criminal organization carried out a raider seizure of two companies whose assets were valued at UAH 248 million. "At the same time, the goal of seizing one of these companies was to gain control over real estate in central Kyiv worth more than UAH 500 million," NABU said.
In addition, according to the statement, in May 2026 members of the criminal organization attempted to seize real estate in Kyiv worth more than UAH 207 million but "were unable to complete the crime due to circumstances beyond their control."
NABU also said that certain members of the criminal organization, in collusion with representatives and officials of a state-owned bank, organized and carried out the legalization of criminally obtained funds during June 2026.
"This concerns UAH 150 million in cash, which was moved through a number of accounts belonging to shell companies and brought into legal circulation to pay bail for a member of another criminal organization (the 'Midas' case)," the statement said.
On Aug 21, the HACC set a preventive measure for former MP Maksym Mykytas of detention with a bail alternative of UAH 30 million. He is a defendant in the schemes disclosed in the videos.
On Tuesday, Aug 25, the HACC set a preventive measure for Mudra of detention with a bail alternative of UAH 20 million.
According to Bihus.Info, Stolar's suspicion notice was actually announced on Aug 20. However, during the period of the searches and the announcement of the suspicion, Stolar was outside Ukraine. The suspicion notice charges the MP with crimes under various parts of five different articles, including creating a criminal organization, illegal seizure of property, document forgery, and unauthorized interference with information systems. For interference with information systems committed under martial law, the suspect faces up to 15 years in prison.
