Royalty scheme: “Podorozhnik,” ANTS, and “Biokon” are implicated in a case involving the laundering of 2 billion hryvnias
19 May 18:18
Court Freezes Accounts of Polish and Estonian Companies
The Pechersky District Court of Kyiv has frozen the accounts of the representative offices of the Polish company SCIL TRADE sp. z o.o. and the Estonian company QUICK VENT OU as part of criminal proceedings regarding an alleged money laundering scheme involving fictitious license payments from pharmacy chains and pharmaceutical companies, reports
According to the National Police investigation, the organizers of the scheme used the representative offices of SCIL TRADE sp. z o.o. and QUICK VENT OU to receive funds from over 180 companies in the pharmaceutical sector under the guise of royalties for the use of patents, computer programs, and “utility models” in the field of disinfection.
How the scheme worked
The investigation believes that one person was actually in charge of the operations of the “SCIL TRADE sp. z o.o.” representative office, while another person formally served as the director and accountant.
According to the case materials, licensing agreements for the use of intellectual property, specifically Patent No. 150404 (a method for deratization of premises using ultrasonic radiation—ed.), were concluded between the representative office and hundreds of Ukrainian pharmacy operators. The counterparties include entities from the “Podorozhnik,” “Apteka Dobrogo Dnya,” “Apteka Nizkikh Cen (ANC),” “Biokon, ” “Persha Farmatsiya” networks, and dozens of other Ukrainian pharmaceutical companies and pharmacy operators.
Law enforcement officials, among other things, claim that:
- the patents and “utility models” were not actually used;
- the contracts had no real economic substance;
- royalties were used as a tool to conceal the movement of funds;
- part of the money was subsequently transferred to accounts of companies with signs of being fictitious.
The relevant ruling by the Pechersk Court in the case also cites an analytical study by the State Tax Service of Ukraine, according to which, in 2023–2024, over 2 billion UAH was transferred to the accounts of the representative office “SKIL TRADE SP. Z O.O.” from 183 Ukrainian companies in the pharmaceutical sector.
Specifically:
- from January 3, 2023, to December 6, 2024, the company’s accounts received 2.007 billion UAH;
- the investigation estimates the total volume of transactions at 2.041 billion UAH;
- potential unpaid income taxes are estimated at 361.3 million UAH.
According to the investigation, the funds could subsequently have been used for money laundering and legalization through a network of companies exhibiting signs of risk.
Suspicion against the representative office director
On January 15, 2026, one person was detained, and the following day she was notified of suspicion under Part 2 of Article 28 and Part 1 of Article 366 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine—official forgery committed by a group of persons.
The investigation believes that she signed and stamped license agreements which, according to law enforcement, contained knowingly false information regarding the actual use of intellectual property.
At the same time, the ruling also states that the aforementioned individual may have been a nominal head of “SKIL TRADE SP. Z O.O.” and did not actually control the companies’ business activities.
Seizure of Funds
The court has already seized non-cash funds in the accounts of:
- the representative office of “SKIL TRADE SP. Z O.O.”
- the representative office of “KVIK VENT OU” in banks such as “Ukrgasbank,” “Oschadbank,” PUMB, “Bank Trust-Capital,” and “Bank Vostok.”
The investigation points to a “shadow sector” and a corruption scheme
The ruling also states that, according to law enforcement, the cashed-out funds could have been used in a “corruption scheme” to illegally incentivize employees of medical institutions for the purpose of promoting pharmaceutical products.
In addition, the investigation indicates that some of the counterparties who received funds from the representative office of “SKIL TRADE SP. Z O.O.” are already involved in other criminal proceedings related to economic crimes.
The investigation is being conducted by the Main Directorate of the National Police in Kyiv under the procedural supervision of the Pechersk District Prosecutor’s Office
Well-known pharmacies are among the counterparties
Among the 183 Ukrainian companies in the pharmaceutical sector identified as potential participants in the scheme are such well-known pharmacy brands in Ukraine as “Podorozhnik,” “Apteka Dobrogo Dnya,” “Apteka Nizkykh Tsyn (ANC),” the “Biokon” Pharmacy Association, “Persha Farmatsiya,” “Dniprofarma,” and others .
The “Podorozhnik” pharmacy chain is Ukraine’s largest pharmacy retailer, operating in the market for over 20 years with nationwide coverage. The company was founded in Lviv in 1999, and today the chain comprises approximately 2,800 pharmacies.
In terms of corporate structure, “Podorozhnik” operates through a group of affiliated legal entities and a franchise-operational model. Various sources identify Lviv businessman Oleksandr Fedetsko and his family as the network’s primary beneficiaries.
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“Apteka Dobrogo Dnya” is also one of Ukraine’s largest pharmacy chains, operating since 2006 and expanding in the form of pharmacy markets. The network is operated by Farmastor LLC. The chain has over 600 pharmacies in dozens of cities across Ukraine and ranks among the top five largest pharmacy retailers alongside ANTS and “Podorozhnik.” Ihor Chervonenko and his associates are considered the owners of the business.
Biocon Pharmacy Association LLC is a Ukrainian pharmaceutical company operating in the retail and/or distribution of medicines and related medical products. Ihor Chervonenko is listed as the ultimate beneficiary of the association. At the same time, through Pharma-Alliance LLC, the association is also linked to the business network of pharmaceutical entrepreneur Ihor Bilyi (Galafarm, with annual revenue exceeding 1.2 billion UAH). According to open sources, Ihor Bilyi is the husband of Viktoria Bilyi, the former director of Maternity Hospital No. 7 in Kyiv (now the Kyiv Perinatal Center), who held this position until 2023. According to public registries, the pharmaceutical business associated with Igor Bilyi developed in parallel with his wife’s career in the public healthcare sector.
“Persha Farmatsiya” is a group of affiliated legal entities operating in the pharmacy retail sector in Ukraine, often with regional references in their names (for example, “Persha Farmatsiya Kyiv,” “Persha Farmatsiya Dnipro,” “Persha Farmatsiya Kyivshchyna,” etc.). The network operates as a scaled regional pharmacy structure, functioning through dozens of separate LLCs in various regions. Its founders include: Danelyan Nune Seyranivna and Danelyan Anush Ashotivna.
ANTS ( formerly “Low-Price Pharmacy”) is also one of Ukraine’s largest pharmacy chains, operating in the market since 2000. The first pharmacies were opened in Zaporizhzhia, after which the chain rapidly expanded across the country.
Today , ANTS comprises over 1 , 300 pharmacies. The chain also operates under several other brands, including “Kopiyka,” “SHAR@,” “Blagodiya,” and others. Various corporate records identify a group of businessmen from Zaporizhzhia— Konstantin Puchin, Artur Kadushkin, and Andriy Akhtyrskyi —as the company’s ultimate beneficiaries.
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Overall, according to the investigation, transactions involving these companies (over 180) could have been used as part of a money-laundering scheme.
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