The High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) has arrested in absentia the owner of the Ukrlandfarming agricultural holding Oleh Bakhmatiuk suspected of providing UAH 722 million in unlawful benefits to the ex-head of the State Fiscal Service (SFS) of Ukraine Roman Nasirov and his adviser, the HACC has reported.

"On March 7, 2023, the HACC investigating judge, at the request of NABU detectives, approved by the SAPO prosecutor, chose a measure of restraint in the form of detention for the owner of one of the agricultural holdings, who, in his own interests, provided an unlawful benefit in the amount of UAH 722 million to the former chairman of the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine and his adviser," the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) said on its Telegram channel on Wednesday.

The SAPO does not name the owner of the agricultural holding but it refers to the owner of Ukrlandfarming Bakhmatiuk, who on Tuesday published a statement about the decision of the HACC on his arrest in absentia and called it pressure on the business.

According to the SAPO, after Bakhmatiuk's arrest and delivery to the place of pretrial investigation, the investigating judge will decide on the application of the arrest.

It was established that during 2015-2016, the head of the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine received in his favor and in favor of third parties from the owner of the agricultural holding more than UAH 722 million of unlawful benefits for actions related to the provision of VAT refunds of over UAH 3.2 billion to legal entities controlled by the owner of the agricultural holding.

The actions of the owner of the agricultural holding are qualified under Part 4 of Article 369 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, the former head of the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine – under Part 4 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, and his advisor – under Part 5 of Article 27, part 4 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, the HACC said.

Earlier, it was reported that the anti-corruption authorities of Ukraine completed the pretrial investigation against Nasirov and his advisor, who are suspected of receiving illegal benefits in especially gross amounts.

"As investigators established, the provision of illegal benefits in foreign currency ($5.5 million and EUR 21 million) took place using a number of companies registered abroad, belonged to the owner of one of the agricultural holdings, and its receipt by an official – using nonresident enterprises, control over whose activities were carried out directly by the head of the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine, his advisor and other persons who are family relatives," the SAPO said.