Serhiy Tupalskyi Formally Charged
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) have formally charged Serhiy Tupalskyi, the former deputy head of Kyiv Customs, with money laundering. According to investigators, between 2020 and 2021, he invested over $2 million in cash into the construction of a restaurant-hotel complex at the Bukovel ski resort in the village of Polianytsia, Ivano-Frankivsk region. This case is part of a wider, ongoing effort to combat high-level corruption within Ukrainian state institutions. After construction was completed, the suspect used the asset and profited from its operations, with the complex registered under a close relative to conceal his involvement.
NABU's cases involving Tupalskyi have a long history. On November 26, 2019, NABU and SAPO detained 10 individuals, including Tupalskyi, on suspicion of customs-related crimes. The following day, November 27, 2019, NABU detectives notified all suspects in the case of the charges against them, including businessman Vadym Alperin, who was also detained. Alperin was formally served his notice of suspicion on November 28, 2019. In February 2020, Tupalskyi publicly stated he was prepared to go to a pre-trial detention center if the investigation could produce even a single piece of evidence of guilt against him or his subordinates.
Serhiy Tupalskyi's Career Background
A brief biography of Serhiy Tupalskyi outlines his lengthy career in state structures. He was born on June 13, 1978, in the village of Malyi Mydsk, Rivne region.
- From 1995 to 1999, he studied at the Bohdan Khmelnytskyi National Academy of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.
- He worked for the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) from 2000 to 2013.
- Between 2002 and 2007, he studied at the National Academy of the Security Service of Ukraine, specializing in 'Law'.
- From 2011 to 2014, he studied at the University of Banking of the National Bank of Ukraine, specializing in 'Banking'.
In 2014, Tupalskyi headed the department for customs clearance of vehicles at Kyiv Customs of the State Fiscal Service. By September 2016, he had become deputy head of Kyiv City Customs. From late 2018 to early 2019, he served as acting head of Odesa Customs. Tupalskyi is married and has two children.
This investigation underscores persistent corruption issues within Ukraine's customs service, a sector that has long been a focus for public and law enforcement scrutiny. Given the case's protracted timeline, it could set a significant precedent for future probes into corruption and money laundering in Ukraine. The outcome will affect not only Tupalskyi's fate but also public trust in the customs authorities and the broader perception of justice in the country.