“For the first time, Ukraine was able to pay off the money stolen by officials from abroad. The case is the head of the Odessa Regional State Administration and the Excellence of Health Maxim Stepanov, as well as the “wallet” of Zelensky Timur Mindich. Details – in UA.news investigation. What is known about Stepanov’s case to the budget received more than 3.3 million euros (about 163 million UAH), which was paid by the French company by court decision.”, – WRITE ON: ua.news
For the first time, Ukraine was able to pay off the money stolen by officials from abroad. The case is the head of the Odessa Regional State Administration and the Excellence of Health Maxim Stepanov, as well as the “wallet” of Zelensky Timur Mindich. Details – in UA.news investigation.
What is known about Stepanova’s case
The budget received more than 3.3 million euros (about 163 million UAH), which was paid by the French company by court decision. It became possible Thanks to NABU and SAP cooperation with French colleagues. On September 3, the Paris Court approved an agreement under which the contractor compensates for the damage caused to Ukraine. This is an unprecedented case, as for the first time a foreign company pays compensation in a case related to Ukrainian corruption.
This business concerns a large passport production scheme in which It appears Former chairman of the Odessa Regional State Administration and the Excellence of Health Maxim Stepanov. In 2011–2016 he headed the state -owned enterprise “Polygraph Combine Ukraine”, which prints protected forms of documents. Investigation found out the plant bought materials not directly, but because of the farticular company in Estonia. The French company Surys sold holograms at a market price, and the Estonian mediator, controlled by Stepanov, resold them 4-6 times more expensive. The difference went in the pocket of the organizers. To legalize profits, patents were issued for the design of elements of Ukrainian passports on the same firm – in fact, copyright was stolen. The investigation estimates, the state lost tens of millions of euros from these frauds.
The anti -corruption bodies of Ukraine, together with French and Estonian colleagues, have long been investigating this scheme. With the support of Euras, the suspicions were declared eight to people. At the end of 2024, investigators agreed with one of the participants close to Stepanov. He pleaded guilty, reimbursed UAH 14.5 million and gave important evidence against six other persons. This managed to advance the case in the courts of France and Estonia. In Ukraine, the investigation has already been completed, the materials are open, and the case is prepared for the Supreme Anti -Corruption Court.
Investigators believe The organizer of the scheme of Maxim Stepanov. In July 2023 to him reported suspicion in abuse of power and money laundering when he headed the polygraph plant. Since it is abroad, court chose him a correspondence arrest .
In addition to holograms equipment, he is suspected of illegally appropriation of copyright on the elements of passport design and legalization of income through relatives. Also, according to investigation, Stepanov required A bribe from a French company in exchange for guaranteed deliveries. In February 2025, the Estonian Prosecutor’s Office filed a case against four entrepreneurs who laundered 35 million euros in his interests. Thus, the case came to an international level.
However, according to UA.news sources, Stepanov could not be the only beneficiary of this passport scheme. Businessman Timur Mindich may be relevant to the organization of frauds. This person does not appear in the open materials of the investigation, however, according to our sources, she could play the role of an unspoken partner or curator of the scheme.
Who is Timur Mindich?
Timur Mindic is a Ukrainian businessman and producer. Known as a person with great influence in political and business circles.
He is a co -owner of the Quarter 95 studio, from which Volodymyr Zelenskyy began. Mindic has close contacts with both the Zelensky team and the oligarch Igor Kolomoisky.
Back in the 2000s he was close to the Privat group and Kolomoisky even He remembered that Mindic could become his son -in -law. It was he who introduced the oligarch to Zelensky in 2008–2009. Since then, he remained with the future president, was a partner of the first assistant of Zelensky Sergei Shefir in Quarter 95 and joint companies. That is, Mindic became a ligament between the environment of Zelensky and Kolomoisky.
After the victory of Zelensky in the 2019 elections, Mindic tried to stay in the shadow, but his name was often mentioned by journalists. He was informally a mediator between Kolomoisky and the authorities, He visited secretly The President’s office is at important points, in particular before the adoption of the Anticolomoisky Law in 2020.
The media wrote that he could lobby with the interests of the oligarch. Also, the companies related to Mindic received large government orders. For example, “Kinocat” in 2019-2021 won Tenders from the TV channel “Rada” by more than UAH 350 million and in fact monopolized the production of state television products.
His name also appeared in anti -corruption investigations. In 2024 NABU and SAP exposed a scheme with the storage of money On Kharkivoblenergo, organized by Mindic’s cousin – Leonid. He was detained, and the investigation came to Timur Minedich himself. According to the SM And, he was also preparing a suspicion. In July 2025, he was informed that he went abroad: he was first in Vienna and London, and then settled in Israel, which does not issue its citizens.
A great political resonance is going on. It is believed that attempts to hold him accountable have caused attacks on NABU and SAP independence. In the spring of 2023, the Parliament approved amendments that strengthened the control of the Prosecutor General over these bodies. Experts called These changes are “by the law under Mindic”. Now that his name is mentioned in the case with a passport scheme, it becomes clear that the Ukrainian anti -corruption system is gradually approaching the most influential figures. And if the guilt is proven, it will be a serious signal that punishment for corruption is inevitable for everyone.