The High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) is witnessing a procedural drama involving the former Minister of Energy of Ukraine. Previously, the court reduced the bail amount for the ex-official to 150 million hryvnias. As of the second half of June, a substantial sum of 105 million hryvnias has been transferred to the court's deposit account. However, a detailed analysis of the sources of these funds, conducted by journalistic projects, specifically "The Scheme" (Radio Liberty), reveals a number of contradictions between the financial status of the bail providers and the amounts deposited.
The paradox of "small" companies and "big" money
Current Ukrainian legislation allows bail for a suspect to be posted by third parties. In this case, three legal entities took on the role of guarantors. Profiles of these companies, compiled based on open registries and financial reports, raise questions among analysts and investigative bodies.
The leader in terms of funds deposited is LLC "Tetras Optima," which transferred 54 million hryvnias. According to official financial reports, the profit of this entity for the reporting period amounted to only 35,600 hryvnias. The gap between official income and the bail amount is colossal. Furthermore, in publications by specialized media, the company is linked to business structures that appeared in criminal cases regarding the circumvention of sanctions restrictions on the supply of chemical products, specifically fertilizers, through third countries.
The second most significant bail provider was LLC "Giran Construct," which deposited 46 million hryvnias. The authorized capital of this enterprise is a symbolic 5,000 hryvnias. An analysis of open databases shows that the nominal owner of the company previously worked as line staff in regional energy companies. Official income for LLC "Giran Construct" was not recorded at all during the last two tax periods.
The third participant in the scheme was LLC "Skyt Retail," which provided 5 million hryvnias. This is a structure with a minimal staff — only one employee. Notably, in June of last year, the company changed its owner and legal address, re-registering in the Kyiv region.
Financial monitoring and legality verification
The receipt of funds into HACC accounts does not mean the automatic completion of the procedure. Financial flows within the proceedings of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP) undergo strict verification.
The State Financial Monitoring Service is required to establish the legality of the origin of the funds. In the event of a discrepancy between the companies' income and the deposited funds, the money may be frozen until the circumstances are clarified or turned over to the state budget by court order. This creates a serious risk for all participants in the bail posting process.
Investigation context and prospects
The criminal case against the ex-minister concerns contracts with NAEC "Energoatom." Simultaneously, the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) is conducting a full audit of the official's declarations, comparing his lifestyle and expenses with official income.
According to sources close to the defense, the remaining part of the bail, amounting to 45 million hryvnias, may be deposited in the near future. The goal of these actions is to change the preventive measure to house arrest with the mandatory use of an electronic monitoring device. However, the success of this strategy directly depends on whether the prosecution can confirm the legality of the origin of the already deposited 105 million hryvnias.