Former Presidential Office Head Yermak Gets $350K Bail Contribution from Ex-Business Partner

The Case Against Andriy Yermak

According to Главком: More than 14.5 million hryvnias of the required 140 million hryvnia bail has been posted for former Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak. Of this amount, 8 million hryvnias came from his former business partner Roza Tapanova, a lawyer who has been practicing since 2005. Tapanova also serves as director of the Babyn Yar National Historical Memorial Preserve and sits on the supervisory boards of state-owned oil company Ukrnafta and state bank Oschadbank.

Yermak has been ordered into pretrial detention with the alternative of posting 140 million hryvnias in bail. The case involves the alleged laundering of 460 million hryvnias during the construction of the upscale Dynasty cottage community in the village of Kozyn, Kyiv region. According to the prosecution, in 2020 Yermak reached an agreement with Mindich and Chernyshov to build homes in that development.

Financial Breakdown and Legal Obligations

Roza Tapanova, who contributed part of the bail, stated:

'The specified amount of money is part of my official income as declared in my annual tax return. I consider this appropriate to uphold the constitutional right to defense and to support the principle of the presumption of innocence.'

In her declaration, Tapanova reported earning over 14 million hryvnias last year from three entities:

• Oschadbank
• Ukrnafta
• the Babyn Yar preserve

Specifically, at Oschadbank she received 6.6 million hryvnias in fees, 738,000 hryvnias as an insurance premium, and 20,000 hryvnias in additional benefits. At Ukrnafta, her fee was 5.3 million hryvnias, with a bonus of 1.4 million hryvnias. Tapanova earned 234,000 hryvnias in salary for her work at Babyn Yar.

If bail is posted, the suspect will be subject to several restrictions. He is prohibited from leaving Kyiv without court or investigator approval and must surrender his foreign passports. Additionally, Yermak is barred from communicating with other suspects in the case, including Oleksiy Chernyshov, Tymur Mindich, and others.

This case has drawn significant public attention due to Yermak's connections to high-profile figures and institutions in Ukraine. The bail arrangement and the chosen preventive measure underscore the seriousness of the charges. The proceedings against Yermak could influence the country's political landscape, given his former role as a key figure in the president's administration. The case may also shed light on anti-corruption enforcement practices in Ukraine.

The ongoing legal challenges surrounding Andriy Yermak have raised significant concerns, particularly regarding the alleged luxury construction fraud amounting to 460 million hryvnias. For a deeper understanding of the implications of this case and the potential consequences Yermak may face, read more about the arrest threats linked to the luxury development.