“Vote-buying” in Parliament: The High Anti-Corruption Court Sets Bail for Five Lawmakers in Bribery Case
1 January 19:19
Ukraine’s High Anti-Corruption Court has imposed bail as a precautionary measure on five members of parliament suspected of accepting bribes in exchange for their votes in the Verkhovna Rada.
This was reported bythe Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
Accordingto thepublication “RBC-Ukraine,” the following individuals are under suspicion:
- Yevhen Pyvovarov
- Igor Negulevsky
- Olga Savchenko
- Yuriy Kisel
- Mykhailo Laba
The court set different bail amounts:
- 40 million UAH — for one of the deputies
- 30 million UAH — to another
- 20 million UAH each —to two suspects
- 16.6 million UAH — to the fifth person involved in the case
All suspects were also subject to procedural obligations, including the requirement to wear an electronic monitoring device.
During the hearing to determine a preventive measure for MP Olga Savchenko, the court session was held in closed session.
According to “Suspilne , ” the motion was filed by SAPO prosecutor Anatoliy Rybalko and was supported by both the suspect and her defense attorney.
“There is a need to preserve the secrecy of the investigation and ensure the safety of those involved in the criminal proceedings,” the prosecutor explained.
What is known about the case
On December 27, NABU and the SAP announced the exposure of an organized criminal group which, according to the investigation, operated within the Verkhovna Rada and facilitated the receipt of bribes by MPs in exchange for “necessary” votes.
According to law enforcement officials:
- the group’s activities were coordinated by one of the MPs;
- instructions regarding votes were sent in a closed group on WhatsApp;
- after the votes, funds were systematically transferred to the MPs.
How the scheme worked
The SAPO reports that the size of the bribes depended on the so-called “voting effectiveness indicator.” It was calculated based on:
- the number of supported bills and resolutions;
- the personal attendance of lawmakers at plenary sessions.
According to the investigation, the amounts of payments ranged from $2,000 to $20,000. Funds were typically distributed monthly—at the beginning of the following month after the “tasks” were completed.
The case is being investigated by NABU and SAPO. If found guilty, the suspects face criminal liability as well as the loss of their seats.
