Former State Property Fund official charged with corruption
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of
Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO)
have charged Denys Kudin, former first deputy head of the State
Property Fund (SPF) with a criminal conspiracy to defraud the state, NABU
said in a Telegram post on Dec. 12.
According to the investigation, Kudin was involved in a scheme that caused UAH 400 million ($11 million) in losses to the SPF. Kudin is now a senior executive at Ukrnafta, a state-owned oil drilling company.
Another actor within the criminal organization, led by then-head of SPF, Dmytro Sennychenko, was also charged in the case. The bureau added that the case is among the most significant in the history of Ukraine’s anti-corruption efforts.
Investigators claim that Kudin and his accomplices placed loyal individuals in charge of the JSC Odesa Port Plant and United Mining and Chemical Company. These executives allegedly entered into prearranged contracts with companies that sold their products below market value, diverting the price difference for the benefit of the criminal organization. There are now 11 individuals investigated in the criminal case, NABU reported.
Kudin himself confirmed the charge, adding that he was surprised to learn about his alleged role in the case.
“Today, I received a notice of suspicion from NABU, which was an utter surprise,” he said in a Facebook post.
“The suspicion relates to my period of employment with the State Property Fund. I will prove my innocence legally.”
Kudin transitioned from the private sector to public service, holding senior roles at the WOG gas station chain until 2018. Within two years, he became deputy and then first deputy head of the State Property Fund. From November 2021 to February 2023, he worked as the first deputy minister of economy, and in February, he was appointed as the executive vice president of corporate strategy and development for Ukrnafta.
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