Igor Kolomoisky, one of the richest men in the country, has just been arrested on suspicion of fraud and money laundering.
A court in Kiev ordered the two-month detention of Ukrainian billionaire Igor Kolomoisky, formerly close to President Volodymyr Zelensky, on suspicion of fraud and money laundering, local media reported on Sunday.
The 60-year-old tycoon, one of the country’s richest men, appeared late Saturday evening wearing a yellow T-shirt and blue jacket, the colors of the Ukrainian flag.
Fight against corruption
At the end of the hearing, the court decided to take a “preventive measure” by ordering Kolomoisky’s detention for two months and setting his bail at more than 509 million Ukrainian hryvnia (about 12.7 million euros), according to Radio Svoboda.
According to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the billionaire is suspected of fraud and illegal acquisition of property.
Kolomoisky supported Volodymyr Zelensky’s candidacy in 2019 and owned the television channel where the Ukrainian president became famous as a comedian.
In recent months, President Zelensky has vowed to step up the fight against corruption that was rampant in Ukraine before the Russian invasion, particularly in response to conditions set by the European Union to maintain Kiev’s status as a candidate country.
Scandals
Several corruption scandals have recently come to light in the country. One of them concerns Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiï Reznikov and concerns an army supply contract signed with a Turkish company.
In late August, more than 200 recruiting centers were also raided in Ukraine to eliminate a system of corruption that allows conscripts to escape the army.