NABU Director Semen Kryvonos confirms that the investigation against the Supreme Court judges is definitely one of the most high-profile cases in the history of the NABU and the SAPO.
Within the framework of this case, law enforcement officers conducted a set of operational and technical measures, operational penetration, the work of an undercover detective took place.
What has been discovered?
The head of the NABU said that the detectives of the Bureau recorded several contacts of the Finance and Credit Group owner with one of the owners of a lawyers association, which, in fact, was a kind of back office and acted as an intermediary in organizing bribes for judges. The parties agreed to transfer the bribe to the judges of the Supreme Court for the adoption of the decision necessary for the entrepreneur.
On March 15, the first meeting in this case was to be held, but it was postponed to agree on a bribe in more detail and prepare its transfer. On April 19, the Supreme Court held a meeting at which the necessary decision was adopted, and the lawyers received instructions from the leadership of the Supreme Court on the distribution of the bribe between the participants in the collusion.
On May 3, members of the criminal organization received the first tranche, and on May 15, that is, yesterday, the second part was transferred, during which they were caught “red-handed.”
At the same time, during the searches, other evidence was collected about the activities of this criminal organization. For example, the NABU received information that members of the criminal group had tried to influence the selection of HQCJ members, but at the moment, there is no confirmation that such influence took place.
For his part, Oleksandr Klymenko, the head of the SAPO, added that the NABU had received the information on the existence of this back-office at the beginning of 2023; it was being checked all this time. Thus, the law enforcement officers learned that the said lawyers association had been an intermediary between the leadership of not only the Supreme Court, but also other courts, and now these data are being verified.
In general, the NABU and the SAPO have information that the decision on the Finance and Credit trade group is not the only decision of the Supreme Court for which bribes were received. However, these data are still being checked.
To date, two persons have been detained in the framework of this case, including the Supreme Court Head Vsevolod Kniaziev. They are to be served with charges under Art. 368, part 4 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (receiving an improper advantage) and Art. 369, part 4 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (proposal to provide an improper advantage). These articles provide for the punishment from 8 to 12 years of imprisonment.
In general, the NABU and the SAPO have information that the decision on the Finance and Credit trade group is not the only decision of the Supreme Court for which bribes were received. However, these data are still being checked.
