Kurchenko caused damage to the state amounting to 5 billion

The investigation established that Sergey Kurchenko created and directly led a criminal organization whose activities caused damage to the state in the oil and gas and banking sectors amounting to about 5 billion hryvnias.

The Security Service of Ukraine, together with the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine, is conducting an investigation and documenting the illegal activities of the group of companies controlled by the chief financier of Viktor Yanukovych's 'family' - Sergey Kurchenko, as reported by the SBU press service.

The Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine is investigating a number of criminal cases regarding the illegal activities of the chairman of the supervisory board of the financial and industrial group 'VETEK' Kurchenko, the message states.

During the pre-trial investigation, it was established that Kurchenko created and directly led a criminal organization whose activities caused damage to the state in the oil and gas and banking sectors amounting to about 5 billion hryvnias.

This damage was incurred as a result of illegal supplies by companies affiliated with Kurchenko to state enterprises Naftogaz of Ukraine, Ukrtransgaz, Chornomorneftegaz of equipment at inflated prices; illegal sale of liquefied gas through commercial structures controlled by Kurchenko; signing fictitious contracts with LLC 'Gas Ukraine 2020' for the supply of petroleum products; embezzlement of funds for refinancing the National Bank of Ukraine, etc.

In the course of the investigation, about 550 people have been questioned, over 100 searches have been conducted, and seizures have been made on personal accounts, movable and immovable property totaling more than 1.2 billion UAH, with arrests made of 4 individuals suspected of committing crimes.

The main defendant in the case - Sergey Kurchenko - has been charged with committing crimes and measures of restraint in the form of detention have been chosen. Actions are being taken to detain Kurchenko, who is on an international wanted list. According to available information, he is hiding in Russia, where he obtained citizenship of the Russian Federation.

11 charges have been filed for committed crimes and measures of restraint in the form of detention and house arrest have been chosen, including against the Deputy Chairman of the National Bank of Ukraine Boris Prikhodko, former Deputy Chairman of the Kharkiv Oblast State Administration Valentin Dulub, and former Deputy Chairman of the Kyiv Oblast State Administration Vladimir Maksimenko, as stated in the message.