SBI launches internal review into possible involvement of its employees in Operation Midas
The State Bureau of Investigation will conduct an internal investigation into Operation Midas (Photo: State Bureau of Investigation / Facebook)
Ukraine’s State Bureau of Investigation has launched an internal review over the so-called Mindich recordings, a process officials said is being conducted “without any exceptions,” SBI communications adviser Sapyan said during the national telethon on Nov. 18.
She said the State Bureau of Investigation is interested in objectively establishing all the circumstances. Earlier, Bohdan Chobitok, head of the SBI’s Internal Oversight Department, said the agency had opened two cases against its own employees. These cases concern possible bribery and alleged abuse of authority by SBI personnel. The trigger was an operation by NABU and SAPO in the energy sector.
Sapyan also said the agency does not yet have specific names, positions or units of the employees under internal investigation.
“As we noted earlier, information was indeed entered into the Unified Register of Pretrial Investigations stating that an investigation is underway into possible crimes. The investigation will determine whether there was large-scale bribery by a group acting in collusion and whether there was abuse of authority or official powers. Investigators will verify the information published in the media,” the SBI said.
The SBI director’s communications adviser said the agency will also verify information about “searches conducted at the request of case figures.” She said the agency still has a lot of work to do.
Earlier, MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak said there was a link between the events of July 21 and 22, when the SBU and SBI simultaneously conducted several searches targeting NABU and SAPO detectives and prosecutors, and the fact that the next day Parliament voted to “dismantle” the institutional capacity of the anti-corruption bodies.
Chobitok said that on Nov. 17 the SBI also sent a request to NABU seeking permission to conduct investigative actions regarding individuals involved in the M and B case.
Operation Midas
On Nov. 10, NABU detectives conducted searches at businessman Tymur Mindich’s properties, as well as at former energy minister and current justice minister Herman Halushchenko, and at Energoatom. Mindich left Ukraine just hours earlier.
NABU said detectives, as part of Operation Midas, documented the activities of a “high-level criminal organization” led by a “well-known businessman.” The group built a large-scale corruption scheme influencing Energoatom and demanded kickbacks of 10–15% of contract values from the company’s contractors.
Five suspects were detained and placed under arrest with bail options. They include former energy minister’s adviser Ihor Myroniuk, Energoatom security director Dmytro Basov, and employees of the “back office” where, according to investigators, money was laundered.
On Nov. 13, journalist Oleh Novikov reported that bail had been posted for two female suspects — Lesia Ustymenko and Liudmyla Zorina.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said all those guilty must be sentenced. He also imposed sanctions on businessmen Mindich and Oleksandr Zuckerman.
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