At the center of the high-profile corruption scandal, dubbed 'Midichgate' by the media, is Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov. According to 'Ukrainian Pravda', the legal advisor to the mayor of Kharkiv and his personal lawyer Oleksiy Menev is close to businessman Tymur Midich, co-owner of 'Kvartal 95'. For some time, Menev regularly visited Midich, a fact confirmed by journalists.
Preliminarily, Menev received details of resonant materials being investigated by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office from Deputy Head of the SAP Andriy Sinyuk. These materials may have been related to the cases of the participants in 'Midichgate'.
Meetings with law enforcement officials
According to the publication, during the absence of SAP head Oleksandr Klymenko, Sinyuk was carrying out the duties. During this time, some suspects in the cases began to change their behavior or leave the country. Journalists recorded meetings between Sinyuk and lawyer Menev, who frequently visited Midich's home.
Oleksiy Menev is a Kharkiv lawyer and partner of a well-known law firm. In 2021, he defended the head of the Novobavarsky district of Kharkiv in a case of false declaration. Menev also worked with a candidate for the position of mayor of Kharkiv and participated in the registration of the 'Kernes Bloc - Successful Kharkiv!' party.
Corruption scheme in the energy sector and its participants
On November 10, a large-scale corruption scheme in the energy sector became known. The scheme involved control over the state company 'Energoatom' and receiving kickbacks under contracts. The investigation by NABU and SAP involved businessman Tymur Midich, former energy minister, ex-deputy prime minister, and executives of the 'Energoatom' company. Some participants have already been arrested, but the main suspect, Tymur Midich, managed to flee abroad just hours before the search at his home.
A scandal erupted in Kharkiv related to corruption, involving the city mayor and his close circle. The 'Midichgate' case implies a series of events involving the mayor, his advisor, lawyer, and some influential businessmen. The investigation also revealed a complex corruption scheme in the energy sector, where key players, including businessman Midich and the former energy minister, are accused.