“Mindich-Gate” goes beyond energy: British journalists question the work of the NBU and finmonitoring
19 December 20:44
The corruption scandal around the state-owned Enerhoatom, known as Mindich-Gate, may have much broader implications than accusations of abuses in the energy market. The British publication International Business Times writes about this, calling the events in Ukraine not only an anti-corruption but also a banking crisis, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
Not a single bank filed reports on suspicious transactions
According to NABU, about 100 million dollars was withdrawn through schemes in Energoatom. However, as IBTimes journalists point out, these funds passed through the Ukrainian banking system without any alarms. The head of the State Financial Monitoring Service Filipp Pronin publicly stated: no bank filed reports on suspicious transactions in relation to the defendants in the case.
What the experts of the publication say
According to experts interviewed by the publication, this situation has only two possible explanations: either the system of financial monitoring in Ukraine is actually incapable, or there is an informal mechanism for the protection of “untouchable” clients.
The material suggests that commercial banks could receive signals from the regulator not to initiate inspections of certain individuals, regardless of the volume and nature of financial transactions.
IBTimes pays special attention to the deputy head of the National Bank, Dmitri Oleynik. The publication refers to the investigation of economist and banker Borys Kushniruk, which speaks about a possible discrepancy between the official’s official income and the lifestyle of his family.
Among the facts cited by journalists – luxury real estate in Dubai, living in Vienna and the assumption of a fictitious divorce, which could be used to hide assets. It is noted that the Supreme anti-corruption court obliged NABU to open criminal proceedings on these circumstances.
Selective application of supervisory powers of the NBU
In parallel, the authors of the material talk about the selective use of supervisory powers of the NBU.
According to their allegations, the regulator was tightly pressurizing certain business segments – in particular, the gambling and lottery markets – while showing leniency to players associated with political influences.
In this context, possible ties with the head of the Verkhovna Rada tax committee, Daniil Getmantsev, are mentioned.
According to IBTimes, the key tool of such selectivity is financial monitoring – determining who is considered a risky client and who is not. This, the publication notes, sets a dangerous precedent for the independence of the regulator.
What journalists warn about
Journalists warn: the silence of the NBU head Andriy Pyshnyy regarding the actions of his deputy and the lack of public reaction to the accusations may have serious consequences. If Western partners come to the conclusion that the National Bank is losing its independence and becoming part of shadow schemes, this may undermine confidence in the hryvnya and jeopardize financial support for Ukraine.
