The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP) have announced charges against Andriy Yermak, the former head of Ukraine’s Presidential Office. This development is part of an investigation into the alleged laundering of 460 million UAH linked to luxury construction projects near Kyiv.
According to NABU, an organized group was uncovered, implicated in the illicit activities surrounding the high-profile construction. The investigation reveals that in 2018, a figure referred to as ‘Che Guevara’—identified as former Deputy Prime Minister and ex-Naftogaz head Oleksiy Chernyshov—became a founding member of BLOOM Development LLC.
In the summer of 2019, this company acquired over 4 hectares of land from the Kozyn village council, which was intended for future development. Later that year, Chernyshov was appointed head of the Kyiv Regional State Administration, prompting him to transfer his share in the company to his wife due to his public service status.
By March 2020, Chernyshov was leading the Ministry of Community and Territorial Development, and by May of that year, plans for the construction of private residences named ‘Dynasty’ began to take shape on the land owned and partially leased by BLOOM Development, which is associated with his wife.
For the ‘Dynasty’ project, Chernyshov assembled a team from individuals under his control. NABU reported that the estimated value of the land in Kozyn, where the project was to be developed, ranged from $4,000 to $20,000 per hundred square meters, with the total land area exceeding 8 hectares, potentially worth over $6 million.
On May 11, 2023, NABU and SAP conducted investigative actions involving Yermak, further intensifying scrutiny on his role in the alleged corruption.
Previously, on November 28, 2022, NABU and SAP conducted searches at Yermak’s residence, which he confirmed. Following these events, President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed Yermak from his position, appointing Kyrylo Budanov as the new head of the Presidential Office on January 2, 2023. Yermak has since expressed intentions to join the front lines amid the ongoing corruption scandal.
In a subsequent development, Yermak initiated a committee within the National Association of Lawyers aimed at protecting victims of armed aggression against Ukraine, focusing on compensation mechanisms and legal frameworks for recovery. He has reportedly engaged with military units in conflict zones for consultations.
Andriy Yermak, former head of Ukraine's Presidential Office, has been charged in a case involving the laundering of 460 million UAH related to luxury construction projects. The investigation has revealed connections to high-ranking officials and significant land acquisitions.