The 'Carthage' Investigation
The Appellate Chamber of the Higher Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) confirmed the pre-trial detention of lawyer Oleksandr Didych in connection with the 'Carthage' case. Didych remains in custody but is allowed to post bail set at 15 million hryvnias. This ruling was issued by judges Nataliya Doroshenko, Serhiy Bodnar, and Danyila Chornyenko.
Oleksandr Didych is a trusted associate of Serhiy Kropyva and is married to Kropyva's sister. Investigations suggest Didych played a key role in laundering assets through fictitious sole proprietors linked to Kropyva’s relatives, including Yelyzaveta Ivakhnenko and the driver Kutsyi. Additionally, Didych faces allegations of destroying evidence, notably receipts amounting to 7 million hryvnias.
Criminal Network Leadership
Serhiy Kropyva, also known by the alias "Chancellor," leads a criminal organization involved in concealing fraudulent call centers and laundering over 42 million hryvnias. Kropyva funneled illicit funds through his father by depositing them into a foundation's account. According to the Anti-Corruption Center, Kropyva also consulted Didych about the Higher Anti-Corruption Court's practices regarding civil confiscation.
Other individuals implicated in the 'Carthage' case include:
- Yelyzaveta "Muza" Ivakhnenko
- Viktoriya Didych
- Maksym Shtompel
The appellate court also upheld the detention of Serhiy Kropyva and Yelyzaveta Ivakhnenko. On September 8, Viktoriya Didych and Maksym Shtompel were dismissed from the Cherkasy Regional Prosecutor's Office. Maksym Shtompel had served as deputy head of the regional prosecutor's office since April 2024 and previously led the Cherkasy district prosecutor’s department.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) uncovered this criminal group that facilitated illegal protection for fraudulent call centers. Since mid-2025, Kropyva assembled a network including prosecutors and other figures known by nicknames such as "Muza," "Kamrad," and "Flash." The bribes collected by this group exceeded 42 million hryvnias, which were allegedly used to purchase real estate, vehicles, luxury items, and to transfer funds to relatives’ accounts.
Serhiy Kropyva was detained with a bail set at 120 million hryvnias. The investigation into the 'Carthage' case is ongoing, with all suspects under close surveillance by law enforcement agencies.
This case forms part of a broader probe into corruption schemes in Ukraine involving cooperation between government officials and criminal networks. The significance of the 'Carthage' investigation highlights the authorities’ commitment to combating corruption and financial crime that undermine the nation's economic stability. Ongoing inquiries are expected to reveal further connections and lead to additional arrests as investigators continue to trace financial flows and relationships among those involved.
In connection with the ongoing developments in the 'Carthage' case, the recent dismissal of Viktoriya Didych and Maksym Shtompel raises further questions about the integrity of the prosecution. Their exit from the Cherkasy Regional Prosecutor's Office comes amid allegations of misconduct linked to the investigation, highlighting the complexities surrounding this high-profile case. As the situation unfolds, the implications for the involved parties could be significant.