The SSU, the ESBU and the Prosecutor General’s Office have uncovered new facts of unlawful activity by the owner of a large financial and industrial group, Ihor Kolomoiskyi.

Based on the findings of the investigation, Kolomoiskyi has been served another notice of suspicion under the Articles of the CCU:

• 27.3, 28.3, 200.2 (unlawful actions with transfer documents, payment cards and other means of access to bank accounts, electronic money, equipment for their production);
• 27.3, 191.5 (misappropriation of property by an official through abuse of office committed by an organized group on a particularly large scale);
• 27.3, 209.3 (money laundering).

According to the investigation, between 2013 and 2014, Kolomoiskyi illegally seized UAH 5.8 bln.

For this purpose, the business owner created a criminal group consisting of employees of the bank in which he was a founder and shareholder.

During this period, members of this group allowed Kolomoiskyi to make regular fictitious ‘cash deposits to the bank’, although in fact the bank did not receive any deposits.

According to the investigation, this scheme allowed the suspect to receive a total of UAH 5.8 bln, which was equivalent to over USD 700 mln at the time.

These fake ‘contributions’ were then credited to Kolomoiskyi’s personal account and became real non-cash funds.

To legalize the virtual assets, the businessman used them in his entrepreneurial activities. He lent them as loans and paid them for loans to companies under his control, withdrew them abroad, cashed them in or withdrew them at the bank’s branches.

The pre-trial investigation is underway.

The law enforcement agencies are acting to establish all the circumstances of the unlawful activity and bring the involved to justice.