Case description
The NABU and the SAPO suspect Vasyl Artymovych and Mykhailo Yurkevych, former heads of the Economic Court of Lviv Region, of soliciting a $1 million bribe from a representative of a private company. Borys Plotnitskyi, the former head of the Western Economic Court of Appeal, also appears in the case.
According to investigators, the defendants promised to deliver “desired” court decisions in cases under consideration in the Western Economic Court of Appeal. This matter is related to a conflict between the co-founders of the private medical laboratory Aesculab. One of the owners, Serhii Diadiushko, who holds 43% of the shares, filed a lawsuit in the Economic Court to challenge the current company charter and regain sole control. Due to a prolonged legal battle, Diadiushko, according to the investigation, allegedly decided to order the murder of another co-founder, Stanislav Luhovskyi, who also owns 43% of the shares.
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According to the investigation, judges Artymovych, Yurkevych, and Plotnitskyi conspired with Diadiushko. They allegedly offered Luhovskyi to save his life for $1 million and resolve the corporate conflict in court. The defendants in the case promised to ensure the issuance of court decisions in two cases: one of which was already accepted, the other was still under consideration. They claimed to have the ability to influence judges through their connections.
According to the suspects’ plan, the money was to be transferred in parts through an intermediary who ensured confidential communication and transportation of the funds. It is known that Artymovych participated in all the conversations involving the defendants in the case and demanded that the money be transferred through Yurkevych, who had already retired. In early November 2024, Luhovskyi handed Yurkevych $75,000 in bribes, an act that was recorded by detectives.
During a search, $7,500 was found in Yurkevych’s sofa, and another $20,000 was seized from another judge. The suspect claimed he was merely providing legal consultations and believed the $7,500 was a fee for his services.
Later, a notice of suspicion was also served to Iryna Malekh, a judge of the Western Economic Court of Appeal. Investigators recorded her communication with other suspects on the day the bribe was received. During searches, $20,000 was found in her possession, with banknote serial numbers matching part of the illicit payment. Malekh stated that the money was a loan from Plotnitskyi.
The NABU continues its investigation. The defendants are charged under Article 369-2(3) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
After the suspicion was reported, Vasyl Artymovych submitted a request for his dismissal from the post of chairman of the court. Other judges voted in favor of his dismissal, and the HCJ temporarily suspended him from his duties, permitting his detention.
The HCJ also temporarily suspended Iryna Malekh from administering justice.
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