Corruption

HACC sentences MP Odarchenko to 8 years in prison

The High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) has sentenced Servant of the People MP Andriy Odarchenko to 8 years in prison with confiscation of property. This was reported by the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP), Komersant ukrainskyi reports

He was found guilty of attempting to bribe Mustafa Nayem, the former head of the State Agency for Reconstruction, with cryptocurrency (equivalent to $50,000).

“Attempt to bribe the leadership of the Ministry of Reconstruction: fugitive MP sentenced to 8 years in prison,” the statement reads.

The agency does not name the MP, but the circumstances of the case point to Andriy Odarchenko.

It is stated that the court took into account the evidence collected during the pre-trial investigation by NABU detectives and SAPO prosecutors. The court found the MP guilty of committing a crime under the article on offering, promising or giving an unlawful benefit to an official who holds a particularly responsible position, or committed by an organized group of persons or its member (Part 4 of Article 369 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

The MP was sentenced to 8 years in prison with confiscation of property and disqualification to hold certain positions for three years.

The HACC verdict can be appealed within 30 days in the court of appeal.

TheAnti-Corruption Action Centerreports that Odarchenko’s property has been confiscated:

• Two apartments in Kharkiv with an area of 61 and 51 square meters
• A residential building near Kharkiv with an area of 100 square meters
• A residential building in Kharkiv with an area of 159 square meters
• Four land plots
• Two non-residential buildings of 89 and 625 square meters.

The court also applied special confiscation to 0.39 bitcoins and a crypto wallet.

Physical evidence (two iPhones) was confiscated to the state.

It is noted that this is the first illegal benefit in the history of anti-corruption bodies that has been documented in cryptocurrency.

What is known about Odarchenko

Andriy Odarchenko also went abroad in August. The Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office assumed that the MP left Ukraine via Zakarpattia region. Therefore, the prosecutor requested that the defendant be put on the international wanted list.

Law enforcement officials suspect Odarchenko of trying to bribe the head of the State Agency for Reconstruction, Mustafa-Masi Nayem. According to the investigation, Odarchenko offered Nayem a bribe in the cryptocurrency Bitcoin, which is equivalent to 50 thousand dollars.

In exchange, the deputy asked for assistance in obtaining funds from the fund for liquidation of the consequences of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation for the repair of the infrastructure facility under his control. Nayem cooperated with the investigation and was a whistleblower.

The HACC imposed on Odarchenko a measure of restraint in the form of detention with an alternative of UAH 15 million bail. The MP paid this amount. The court ordered him to wear an electronic bracelet, but despite this, the police did not put the bracelet on him.

on September 18, it became known that Odarchenko had fled abroad. The next day, the HACC put him on the international wanted list.

In September, the HACC arrested Odarchenko in absentia.

Odarchenko later participated in the court hearing via video link. He pleaded not guilty and tried to convince the court in the courtroom that the crime was provoked.