Kolomoisky is served a notice of suspicion of organising a contract killing
8 May 2024 12:16
On Wednesday, 8 May, businessman Ihor Kolomoisky was served a notice of suspicion of ordering the murder of a law firm director for personal revenge. This was reported by the Prosecutor General’s Office and the National Police.
The Prosecutor General’s Office and the National Police do not name the businessman, but judging by the photo, it is Ihor Kolomoisky.
According to the investigation, in August 2003, in the centre of Feodosia, four men severely beat and stabbed a lawyer. Doctors managed to save the victim’s life. Then law enforcement officers detained the perpetrators of the contract killing. Now, the police have established irrefutable evidence confirming the identity of the customer.
“It has been established that a businessman, who has been in custody since September 2023 on suspicion of fraud and money laundering, ordered the murder of a lawyer back in 2003. The motive: revenge on the lawyer for refusing to cooperate in an illegal transaction,”
– the statement reads.
It is noted that “the businessman had a personal commercial interest in the operation of the metallurgical plant, and the decision of the general meeting of shareholders of the enterprise did not allow the defendant to fully implement his plan of profit”.
“Therefore, he threatened the lawyer of the law firm that participated in the general meeting of shareholders and prepared the legal documentation to cancel the decision. In response, the lawyer refused. The businessman, carrying out his threats, engaged four members of a criminal group through his bodyguard to attack the man,”
– the National Police added.
According to the investigation, in August 2003, the perpetrators of the crime met the lawyer in the middle of the day at the exit of a shop in Feodosia, Autonomous Republic of Crimea.
The attackers struck the victim on the head with a metal rod and stabbed him in the chest, stomach and back. The victim’s wife prevented the attackers from killing him, and doctors managed to save his life.
A few days later, all four perpetrators of the crime were detained and later sentenced to imprisonment for terms ranging from 6 to 12 years.
The investigation to identify the ordering party of the lawyer’s murder was separated into a separate proceeding. Today, on 8 May, the businessman was served with a notice of suspicion by investigators of the Main Investigation Department of the National Police of Ukraine under the procedural supervision of the Prosecutor General’s Office.
Attempted premeditated murder committed by a group of persons on the order of a group of persons by prior conspiracy is punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen years or life imprisonment.
In addition, 23 searches are currently being conducted in four regions of the country as part of this proceeding to collect additional evidence.
What Kolomoisky is accused of in Ukraine
Ihor Kolomoisky is currently in a Ukrainian pre-trial detention centre. Ukrainian law enforcement officers have served him with three notices of suspicion under several articles and cases.
on 2 September 2023, the SBU notified Kolomoisky of suspicion under two articles: fraud and legalisation (laundering) of the proceeds of crime. According to law enforcement officials, between 2013 and 2020, Kolomoisky legalised more than half a billion hryvnias by transferring them abroad and using the infrastructure of controlled banking institutions.
on 7 September, NABU detectives served another suspicion on Kolomoisky and five members of the group he organised of misappropriation of PrivatBank’s funds worth over UAH 9.2 billion.
on 15 September, the SBU served Kolomoisky with a third suspicion – of illegal actions with bank documents, seizure of property by an organised group through abuse of office, and money laundering. According to the investigation, between 2013 and 2014, Kolomoisky illegally seized UAH 5.8 billion through a criminal group consisting of employees of his PrivatBank.
on 3 September 2023, the court for the first time imposed a pre-trial restraint on Kolomoisky: detention with an alternative to bail in excess of UAH 509 million. However, already on 15 September, after a new suspicion was announced, the court re-selected the measure of restraint and increased Kolomoisky’s bail to UAH 3 billion 891 million.
After that, the court extended Kolomoisky’s detention four times, while reducing his bail twice – on 28 November to UAH 3 billion and on 21 December to UAH 2.7 billion.
on 28 February, the Shevchenkivskyi District Court of Kyiv extended Ihor Kolomoiskyi’s detention for another two months – until 25 April – and reduced his bail to UAH 2.4 billion.
