Ukraine authorities expose piles of cash in Supreme Court corruption probe

KYIV – Ukrainian anti-graft authorities said on Monday (May 15) that they were investigating large-scale corruption in the country’s Supreme Court system and shared a photograph of piles of banknotes neatly lined up on a sofa.

The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (Nabu) did not name anyone accused of corruption, but two local media organisations reported that Supreme Court Chief Justice Vsevolod Kniaziev had been detained on suspicion of receiving a US$3 million (S$4 million) bribe.

Reuters could not independently verify the reports.

Nabu displayed the photograph on its Facebook page, which said the discovery followed investigations by the bureau and the office of the Special Anti-corruption Prosecutor (SAP).

“Nabu and SAP have exposed large-scale corruption in the Supreme Court, namely a scheme for the leadership and judges of the Supreme Court to receive bribes,” the bureau said in the post. “Emergency investigative actions are under way.”

Brussels has made fighting corruption a precondition for Kyiv to join the 27-member European Union. Despite progress in recent years, Ukraine ranks 116th out of 180 countries in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index.

Local news website Dzerkalo Tyzhnia and online outlet Ukrayinska Pravda both quoted unnamed officials saying Mr Kniaziev had been detained, without providing further details.

Reuters was not immediately able to contact Mr Kniaziev for comment after normal business hours.

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Dzerkalo Tyzhnia quoted its source as saying the money came from backers of Ukrainian billionaire Kostyantyn Zhevago, who was arrested in France last December at Kyiv’s request, in relation to embezzlement charges.

The businessman told the court he did nothing wrong and should not be extradited.

Those who provided the money were supporters of a court decision in April that favoured pellet producer Ferrexpo, Dzerkalo Tyzhnia quoted its source as saying. It said another 18 Supreme Court judges who heard the Ferrexpo case were now being searched.

The case addressed a repurchase of about 40.2 per cent of shares in the company’s Ukraine subsidiary, Ferrexpo Poltava Mining, which was sold to Mr Zhevago and other parties.