Yermak Placed Under Arrest in Ukraine Money-Laundering Case

Ukraine’s anti-corruption court on Thursday placed Andriy Yermak, a close ally of President Volodymyr Zelensky and former head of his administration, under arrest on money-laundering charges.

The court also set bail at 140 million hryvnias ($3.19 million), which would allow Yermak to be released pending a final ruling in the case. He has denied the allegations against him.

Ukrainian authorities named Yermak as a suspect on Monday in a major corruption investigation. Anti-graft agencies say he is suspected of participating in a criminal group that laundered around $10.5 million through an elite housing development outside Kyiv.

The case is politically sensitive because of Yermak’s long-standing proximity to Zelensky. Yermak, once one of the most powerful figures in Ukrainian politics, resigned last year amid pressure over the scandal.

“I do not have that kind of money, and my lawyer will now work with friends and acquaintances [to raise the money for bail]”, Yermak told reporters after the court’s decision.

“My legal team will file an appeal. We will use every legal avenue to seek justice and the truth.”

(reuters, max)