Expert: Delays in Yermak case due to stalled expert reviews, novel laundering probe

“I was nervous for a while, too, because it seemed [the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine] (NABU) and [Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office] (SAPO) had slowed sharp moves on this,” Nikolov said. “But from what followed—media leaks about a search of Yermak’s driver and other investigative steps—it became clear work was ongoing.”

He added that, according to his information, the authorities tried to slow the investigation, and this is likely the High Anti-Corruption Court’s first case on the legalization of illicit funds.

“As lawyers have now explained to me, the long [timeframe] between the first search and the charges—six months, even a little more—was likely because the authorities hit the brakes—slowing expert examinations and intimidating experts,” the journalist said.

“This case will hinge in many ways on expert conclusions. And the story itself is quite new for Ukraine, since I don’t recall successful money-laundering cases in [High Anti-Corruption Court] HACCU’s history. So perhaps the fact that a precedent is being developed is tied to this duration.”

The case of Andriy Yermak and his dismissal as chief of staff

On May 11, NABU and SAPO charged former Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak. Anti-corruption bodies said they exposed an organized group involved in laundering 460 million hryvnias ($10.5 million) “in elite construction near Kyiv,” referring to the Dynasty cooperative.

Yermak’s alleged actions are classified under Part 3 of Article 209 of the Criminal Code (legalization [laundering] of proceeds of crime by an organized group or in an especially large amount).

Yermak denied owning a house in the Dynasty cooperative. He said he has only “one apartment and a car.” His lawyer called the charges “groundless.”

On May 12, a court hearing began to select a pre-trial restriction for Yermak. Law enforcement sought pre-trial detention with bail of 180 million hryvnias ($4.1 million). That evening, the judge recessed the hearing until May 13. The defense said it had no time to review the case’s 16 volumes.

On May 13, the court continued choosing a measure of restraint for Yermak.

On the morning of Nov. 28, 2025, news outlet Ukrainska Pravda reported that NABU and SAPO were searching Yermak’s premises in the government quarter. NABU later confirmed this, saying the investigative steps were authorized and conducted “as part of an investigation,” without specifying which.

The official said SAPO and NABU were “indeed conducting procedural actions” at his home.

According to Financial Times journalist Christopher Miller, the searches were conducted under Operation Midas, a sweeping probe into alleged corruption schemes in Ukraine’s energy sector.

Golos MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak claimed Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak appears on NABU tapes under the pseudonym “Ali-Baba.”

NABU Director Semen Kryvonos said he could neither confirm nor deny Yermak’s potential involvement in the Midas case.

That same day, Zelenskyy signed a decree dismissing Yermak, who had held the post since February 2020.

Hours after the search of his home, Yermak told The New York Post he planned to head to the front.

On Nov. 29, 2025, in an interview with the Financial Times, Yermak said he would continue to regard Zelenskyy as a friend even after his dismissal. The Economist reported Yermak was “beside himself” upon learning of the president’s decision to fire him.