Suspicion of fraud at Kolomojskyj
Former sponsor Zelenskyjs has to be in custody
09/02/2023 10:02 p.m
In Ukraine, an oligarch who was once closely associated with President Zelenskyy is now in custody. The investigations against Ihor Kolomojskyj had already begun in 2022. Zelenskyy distances himself from the Ukrainian billionaire, even though he once supported his political career.
A court in Kiev has ordered the Ukrainian oligarch Ihor Kolomojskyj to be held in custody on suspicion of fraud, among other things. The judge initially put the arrest warrant against the 60-year-old into effect until October 31, as the Internet newspaper “Ukrajinska Pravda” reported from the courtroom. At the same time, a bail of almost 510 million hryvnia (around 12.7 million euros) was set, if paid, the billionaire and former political supporter of the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj would be released until the court hearing.
The SBU secret service had previously informed Telegram that it had handed over Kolomojskyj’s investigation results. Accordingly, the owner of a financial and industrial group of companies is accused of criminal activities, including fraud and the legalization of ill-gotten property. The businessman is said to have exported more than half a billion hryvnia between 2013 and 2020. The investigation under the supervision of the Attorney General’s Office continued, it said.
Kolomojskyj has been under investigation since last year. In the course of this, his house was also searched. In November, Kolomoiskyi’s stakes in parastatal oil and gas companies were confiscated because of the war with Russia. Selenskyj, who was elected president in 2019, had recently distanced himself more and more from Kolomojskyj and, according to reports, also revoked his Ukrainian citizenship.
The head of state had announced more decisive action against the powerful Ukrainian oligarchs. As early as February, there was talk of “embezzlement of oil products” worth the equivalent of 930 million euros in the Kolomojskyj case. According to the Internet newspaper Ukrajinska Pravda, neither Kolomojskyj nor the public prosecutor’s office have commented on the allegations. The oligarch could be seen on a video in the dock.