MP Derkach says Naftogaz CEO Kobolev, Favorov 'naftogazed' $1.5 bln from Ukrainians with Biden's full knowledge
KYIV. Dec 17 (Interfax-Ukraine) – NJSC Naftogaz Ukrainy's top management would sell Russian gas in Ukraine as the European one with former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden's full knowledge, having thus earned $1.5 billion, Member of Parliament (independent) Andriy Derkach has said.
He says that Ukrainian companies affiliated with Naftogaz's top management rather than European firms most often trade in Russian gas in Ukraine.
"The scheme they earn on Ukrainians is as follows: Naftogaz's top managers sell Russian gas to Ukrainians, calling it European. And this 'renaming' has brought them $1.5 billion in revenue. The originators of the Naftogaz reform, including Mr. [Amos] Hochstein, who is fully accountable to Biden, could not help but know about the scam with Russian gas. And judging by the fact that part of the stolen money was wired to American companies, they also covered up that scheme," Derkach said at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine in Kyiv on Tuesday, December 17.
The MP stressed that Ukraine had overpaid almost $1.5 billion for the so-called European gas in the past five years.
"Most of this sum has settled in the pockets of representatives of the Ukrainian company and, presumably, officials of Naftogaz. To put it simply: Ukrainians' money has been 'naftogazed.' The largest importer is the Energy Resources of Ukraine (ERU) Group of Companies, registered both in Ukraine and in tax havens, which was headed by Andriy Favorov. He is currently in charge of the Naftogaz Integrated Gas Business Division," Derkach said.
According to him, part of the company's profit was siphoned into offshore accounts.
"For example, the company transferred almost UAH 348 million to ERU MANAGEMENT SERVICES LLC's bank account from July 21, 2016, to June 23, 2017, and almost UAH 274 million from May 25, 2017, to July 25, 2017. In total, this is over UAH 620 million. These are only the numbers that investigative journalists were able to trace. It is clear that the total siphoned sum is higher," he said.
Derkach claims the scheme was covered up by Biden's appointee, member of Naftogaz's Supervisory Board Hochstein.
