"Ukraine's national anti-corruption bureau, known as Nabu, says it has uncovered a high-level criminal scheme at the heart of government. It involves Ukraine's nuclear energy body, Energoatom, that runs three nuclear power plants supplying Ukraine with more than half of its electricity. A group of insiders allegedly received kickbacks of 10-15% from Energoatom's commercial partners. If these suppliers failed to pay up, they were removed from a list of approved counter-parties or not reimbursed for services already given."
"About $100m (760m) was received in this way, Nabu says. The alleged conspiracy had old-school touches. Its beneficiaries used code names for each other, such as Professor, Karlson and Sugarman. They carried blocks of cash around Kyiv in large and unwieldy bags, sometimes delivering it on foot. On one occasion, a plotter allegedly sent his wife to collect a stash of dollars, which she hid in her car."
"The alleged organiser of the scheme is Timur Mindich, an old friend and business partner of the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Mindich co-founded Kvartal 95, the media production company set up by Zelenskyy before he went into politics. Last week he fled his apartment in Kyiv's government district hours before Nabu investigators came to arrest him, escaping abroad. He is now thought to be hiding in Israel."
Nabu uncovered an alleged high-level criminal scheme centered on Energoatom, which operates three nuclear power plants supplying over half of Ukraine's electricity. Insiders allegedly extracted 10-15% kickbacks from commercial partners and punished non-paying suppliers by delisting them or withholding reimbursements. Approximately $100m was reportedly taken through the scheme. Operatives used code names and transported large cash sums around Kyiv, sometimes involving family members. The alleged organiser, Timur Mindich, fled abroad and is thought to be in Israel. Several senior figures were fired or implicated, and all named individuals deny wrongdoing amid ongoing investigations.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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