Summoned Astrologer Faces Forced Attendance Threat from Parliamentary Committee

Parliamentary Committee Subpoenas Veronika Anikievych

According to Главком: Ukraine's parliamentary interim investigative commission (TSC) has summoned Veronika Anikievych, widely known as Veronika Feng Shui, to a hearing scheduled for Friday, May 15. If she fails to appear, lawmakers are prepared to involve law enforcement to ensure her compulsory attendance. Anikievych is a central figure in an anti-corruption case involving money laundering tied to the elite cottage community 'Dynasty.'

Official Remarks and Ties

TSC Chair Oleksiy Honcharenko, a lawmaker from the European Solidarity party, stated:

“We invite Veronika Anikievych (also known as Veronika Feng Shui) to the TSC meeting on May 15.”

He added that if the summons is ignored,

“Ms. Veronika, it would not be feng shui if you don't come to the TSC, and we will have to use forceful methods to bring you in.”

Anikievych, a 51-year-old Kyiv resident, works as an astrology consultant. She has been linked to former head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak, whom Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) suspects of laundering over 400 million hryvnias. According to investigators, Yermak allegedly consulted Anikievych on state appointments and used a separate phone to communicate with her.

Yermak reportedly exchanged messages with a contact labeled 'Veronika Feng Shui Office' about appointments, sharing candidates' birth dates. NABU and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) have now notified Yermak of suspicion in a case involving the laundering of 460 million hryvnias, potentially linked to corruption schemes around the state nuclear energy operator 'Energoatom.'

The luxury cottage community 'Dynasty' is located in the village of Kozyn, Kyiv region. Ukraine's High Anti-Corruption Court has ordered Yermak's pretrial detention with an alternative bail set at 140 million hryvnias. Yermak's lawyer is Ihor Fomin.

The investigation continues to examine all circumstances of the case, and the summons of Anikievych to the TSC hearing marks a significant step in this probe.

The decision to summon Anikievych highlights the seriousness of anti-corruption investigations in Ukraine, particularly regarding ties between state officials and individuals consulted for appointment recommendations. The threat of law enforcement involvement for forced attendance underscores potential obstacles in gathering testimony and reflects the high stakes of this case for the country's anti-corruption efforts.

As the investigation into corruption deepens, the implications of Yermak's alleged involvement are becoming clearer. The EU Commission's stance on Yermak's charges underscores a significant shift in Ukraine's anti-corruption efforts, highlighting the international scrutiny surrounding these cases.