Former Chairman of the Supreme Court of Ukraine, Vsevolod Knyazev, has been sentenced to five years in prison. The verdict, issued by the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC), resulted from a plea agreement Knyazev signed with the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO). The court approved the deal on June 8, after which the former official fully admitted his guilt in receiving undue benefits of an especially large amount.
Sentencing conditions and asset confiscation
According to the court ruling, Knyazev has been sentenced to actual imprisonment for five years. In addition to the prison term, he is barred from holding positions in judicial and law enforcement agencies for three years. The verdict provides for large-scale confiscation of property: the state will seize his real estate, including an apartment and a house.
Financial sanctions are also significant. More than $200,000 of the convicted man's personal savings will be recovered in favor of the state. Additionally, special confiscation totaling $1.24 million has been applied — these are the funds that were the subject of the bribe.
Contribution to army support and economic impact
As part of the plea agreement, Knyazev committed to directing more than $1.1 million to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine through the "Come Back Alive" charity foundation. The total economic impact for the state from this case is estimated at over $2.5 million, equivalent to more than 113 million hryvnias.
Representatives of SAPO emphasized that concluding the agreement is aimed at ensuring the inevitability of punishment, not the possibility of "buying one's way out." Law enforcement officials note that this approach allows saving resources and time during wartime.
Case chronology: from arrest to verdict
The case against Knyazev began on May 15, 2023, when he was arrested in the act of receiving a bribe of $2.7 million. At that time, he was still serving as Chairman of the Supreme Court. The very next day, the court plenum decided to terminate his powers early, and Knyazev was dismissed from his position.
On January 31, 2024, Knyazev was released from pre-trial detention after posting bail. The bail amount was reduced several times — the last time it was reduced to 18.168 million hryvnias, marking the seventh reduction in this case.
On May 19 of this year, the NABU and SAPO conducted large-scale searches at the Supreme Court as part of the corruption case. They were carried out at the workplace, residence, and in the vehicles of several current and former judges, indicating the continuation of the investigation into corruption schemes within the judicial system.