What happened? Ukrainian businessman, former member of the Verkhovna Rada Kostiantyn Zhevago was detained in Courchevel (one of the most prestigious ski resorts in the world, located in the French Alps).
Source. Interfax-Ukraine citing Tetiana Sapyan, Communications Adviser of the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI).
Details. “Today, at the request of the SBI investigators, law enforcement authorities managed to detain Kostiantyn Zhevago in Courchevel. You know that he is a person involved in several criminal proceedings in the SBI. Documents for extradition are currently being prepared,” she said.
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Later on Wednesday, the SBI reported details of the businessman's detention. “At the request of the State Bureau of Investigation, French law enforcement officers detained an ex-MP, shareholder of JSC Bank Finance and Credit of Kostiantyn Zhevago in the elite resort of Courchevel,” the statement says. It is specified that the detention took place on December 27. At first, the defendant tried to challenge the legality of the detention, but then agreed to go with representatives of the competent authorities of France.
The SBI specified that within the framework of the investigation of criminal proceedings, Mr. Zhevago was notified of suspicion of committing criminal offences under Part 3 of Art. 27, Part 5 of Art. 191, Part 3 of Art. 209 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. A number of top managers of the bank were notified of suspicion as well. “They organised a mechanism for embezzlement of $113 million of the financial institution, thereby harming the interests of the state and depositors of the bank,” the SBI stated.
It is specified that today the property of the suspect and related legal entities has been seized. In particular, those are shares of his enterprises worth hundreds of millions of hryvnias, corporate rights of companies, 26 real estate objects. “In addition, the property of other legal entities related to the former MP was seized. Among other things, those are 14 property complexes, 21 parts of property complexes, 30 non-residential premises, 10 apartments,” it was pointed out.
It is also reported that in October 2020, the seized assets worth more than 300 million UAH were transferred to the Asset Recovery and Management Agency (ARMA).
Background. Earlier law enforcement officers conducted a series of searches at enterprises owned by or associated with Mr. Zhevago. In particular, in November, such searches were conducted at two mining and processing plants (MPPs) on suspicion of tax evasion in the amount of 10 billion UAH. In addition, the searches concerned the enterprises of the pharmaceutical corporation Arterium.
On November 5, the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief decided to seize the shares of AvtoKrAZ PrJSC, which was controlled by Mr. Zhevago, and transfer them to the state's ownership as military property at the time of martial law.