KIEV, February 1. /TASS/. The Security Service of Ukraine has uncovered an embezzlement scheme at the Ukrnafta company and its subsidiary Ukrtatnafta to the tune of 40 billion hryvnias (more than $1 billion) after conducting searches at the premises of businessman Igor Kolomoisky.
"The Security Service of Ukraine exposed large-scale schemes of embezzlement in the amount of 40 billion hryvnias by the former management of PJSC Ukrnafta and PJSC Ukrtatnafta. It was established that illegal mechanisms were connected with tax evasion and money laundering," the service reported on its Telegram channel on Wednesday.
According to the Security Service of Ukraine, 10 episodes of criminal activity have been documented as part of criminal proceedings. In particular, this includes the withdrawal of large consignments of oil products to affiliated companies, tax evasion, the creation of large debts of the oil refinery and oil production plants, which led to depreciation and decrease in the value of their assets.
The investigation established that such criminal activity was carried out in the interests of the actual owners and beneficiaries of the companies, the security service said.
"As part of the investigative actions, the Security Service of Ukraine, together with the Bureau of Economic Security, conducted a number of searches. They were carried out at the place of residence of the actual owners and senior management of the financial and industrial group, which includes these companies, as well as at the addresses of the alleged storage of oil products in different regions of Ukraine," the security service informed.
As a result of investigative actions, the senior management of Ukrtatnafta was charged with committing criminal offenses, the security service added.
Earlier, the Vesti publication reported that on Wednesday the Security Service of Ukraine was conducting searches at the premises of Kolomoisky, who owned the Ukrnafta and Ukrtatnafta companies.
Searches at Kolomoisky’s
Last autumn, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine conducted a number of searches at Kolomoisky's home. They were connected with the case of the seizure of property of the Ukrnafta company. Prior to this, local media reported that Kolomoisky was stripped of his Ukrainian citizenship, but this could not be officially confirmed.
In 2021, the Ukrainian Forbes estimated the businessman's fortune at $1.8 billion, ranking him fourth on the list of the richest people in Ukraine. In December 2022, the publication lowered that estimate to $850 million. This happened after the authorities decided in early November to forcibly put Ukrnafta and Ukrtatnafta under state ownership. Kolomoisky controlled Ukrnafta and owned Ukrtatnafta together with a group of partners. Ukrtatnafta owns the largest oil refinery in Ukraine. In 2021, Ukrtatnafta accounted for almost 40% of the gasoline market and 14% of the diesel fuel market in the country.