Yesterday, the NABU and the SAPO served former Presidential Office Head Andrii Yermak with a suspicion notice for laundering UAH 460 million invested in elite construction near Kyiv. He is charged under Article 209(3) of the Criminal Code (money laundering) which carries 8 to 12 years' imprisonment, a ban on holding certain positions or engaging in certain activities for up to 3 years, and asset confiscation.

According to the investigation, construction was financed in part through a so-called "laundry" coordinated by businessman "Karlsson," with funds originating from large-scale corruption schemes, particularly in the energy sector.

Operation Midas became public in November 2025 following the exposure of what investigators allege was a criminal organization comprising current and former officials who influenced the operations of strategic state enterprises — most notably Energoatom — to obtain unlawful benefits and superprofits.

While we await details of the preventive measure motion against Yermak, here is a brief overview of the measures applied to the other suspects in the case.

• Businessman Timur Mindich ("Karlsson") — remanded in custody in absentia. Charged under Articles 255(1) (establishing and leading a criminal organization), 209(3), and 344(1) (interference with the activities of a state official).

• Scheme co-organizer Oleksandr Tsukerman ("Sugarman," "Chief") — remanded in custody in absentia. Charged under Articles 255(1) and 209(3).

• Former Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Chernyshov ("Che Guevara") — detained with a UAH 51 million bail alternative. Charged under Articles 368-5 (illicit enrichment) and 366-2(2) (filing false declarations).  

• Former Energy and Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko ("Professor," "Sigismund") — detained with a UAH 200 million bail alternative. Charged under Articles 255(2) (participation in a criminal organization) and 209(3). 

• Former Energy Ministry adviser Ihor Myroniuk ("Rocket") — detained with a bail alternative initially set at UAH 126 million, subsequently reduced by HACC to UAH 100 million, then increased back to UAH 126 million by the HACC Appeals Chamber, and currently set at UAH 112 million. Charged under Articles 255(2), 209(3), and 368(4) (acceptance, offer, or receipt of an unlawful benefit by an official).

• Energoatom Executive Director for Physical Protection and Security Dmytro Basov ("Tenor") — detained with a UAH 40 million bail alternative. Charged under Articles 255(3) (participation in a criminal organization using official position) and 368(4).  

• "Back-office" members Ihor Fursenko ("Rioshyk"), Lesia Ustymenko, and Liudmyla Zorina — detained with bail alternatives of UAH 95 million, UAH 25 million, and UAH 12 million respectively. Charged under Articles 255(2) and 209(3).  

Bail has already been posted for Chernyshov, Basov, Fursenko, Ustymenko, and Zorina. Only Halushchenko and Myroniuk remain in pre-trial detention.

All suspects face, depending on their role, a minimum of 8 to 12 years' imprisonment with asset confiscation and a 3-year ban on holding certain positions — with the exception of Chernyshov, whose most serious charge carries 5 to 10 years with a ban of up to 3 years. 

The case remains at the pretrial investigation stage. In December 2025, the HACC investigating judge extended the investigation deadline to August 10, 2026.

Tsukerman and Mindich were declared wanted in November 2025. According to the latest information from Ukrainska Pravda, they are in Israel.

Oleksii Chernyshov also features in a separate case concerning the unlawful transfer of Kyiv land for development.