Case description
The NABU and the SAPO suspect Vsevolod Kniaziev, former Chairman of the Supreme Court, of organizing a scheme to receive bribes for passing verdicts. The crime of which the judge is suspected is punishable by up to 12 years in prison.
In May 2023, NABU detectives exposed Kniaziev for receiving USD 2.7 million in bribes. According to investigators, Kniaziev, in collusion with notary Kyrylo Horburov and lawyer Oleh Horetskyi, orchestrated a scheme to receive bribes in exchange for favorable court decisions. Horburov was responsible for soliciting clients, while Horetskyi handled negotiations with Kniaziev, who in turn communicated with judges of the Supreme Court.
According to investigators, Kniaziev coordinated the group’s actions, approved the candidacies of “clients,” determined the amount and method of bribe distribution, received the cash, and transferred it to the judges. Acting under the guise of a lawyer, Oleh Horetskyi sought individuals willing to pay bribes, received funds from them, prepared cover documents (contracts), stored the money in an office and a bank safe, and then transferred it to Horburov. Kyrylo Horburov introduced clients to Horetskyi, assisted in collecting and transferring bribes, and personally delivered cash to Kniaziev.
In particular, the scheme worked in favor of oligarch Kostiantyn Zhevaho. In January 2023, representatives of Zhevaho approached Horetskyi to facilitate a favorable decision in the case concerning the Poltava Mining and Processing Plant, owned by the oligarch. Acting through the security director of his company, Zhevaho’s team established contact with Horetskyi, who was believed to have close ties to Kniaziev. The agreed amount was $2.7 million: $1.8 million for Kniaziev and the judges, and $900,000 for Horetskyi and Horburov.
In the end, the Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court upheld the cassation appeals of Zhevaho's representatives, and the members of the criminal organization received the first tranche. Then, the second part was handed over, which was caught red-handed by the NABU and the SAPO.
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During the court sessions, both the defense and Kniaziev himself argued that the investigation interfered with his private life while conducting surveillance. According to the defense, the reports documenting the covert investigative actions were prepared with procedural violations and, therefore, the evidence should be declared inadmissible.
Vsevolod Kniaziev is charged with Article 368, Part 4 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Since February 2024, he has been suspended from the administration of justice until the verdict of the Anti-Corruption Court comes into force or the case against the judge is closed. Even earlier, almost immediately after being served with the suspicion, the Supreme Court Plenum removed him from the post of court chairman.
Administrative proceedings were also initiated against Kniaziev. During the search, the judge was found to have a contract under which he rented a 4-room apartment in Kyiv for UAH 1,000. The court regarded UAH 906,000 underpaid to the market value as an illegally received gift, which could not be seized. Therefore, the assets of Kniaziev and his ex-wife were seized. In 2023, in connection with this case, the court found Kniaziev guilty, imposed a fine of UAH 2,550, and ordered the confiscation of the unlawful gift.
After that, the NACP reported to the High Council of Justice, which subsequently opened a disciplinary case. The HCJ decided to hold Vsevolod Kniaziev disciplinarily liable and dismissed him from the position of Judge of the Supreme Court. In December 2024, the Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court upheld this decision. It marked the final stage of the disciplinary proceedings against Kniaziev.
Lawyer Oleh Horetskyi already concluded a plea agreement, for bribery of a public official and fraud. As a result of the court's verdict, Horetskyi was exempted from serving 5 years in prison and was assigned probation for 3 years.
Kyrylo Horburov was not even served with a notice of suspicion. Kniaziev's defense attorney stated that Horburov was a NABU agent and actually provoked the crime in the interests of the NABU.
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