Gas case: investigation of MP completed

On July 26, 2018, the Detectives of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) under the procedural guidance of the Anti-corruption prosecutors completed a pre-trial investigation of Ukrainian MP Oleksandr Onyshchenko. He is suspected of organizing public funds embezzlement scheme while producing and selling gas under joint operation agreements with the Public Joint-Stock Company (PJSC) Ukrgasvydobuvannia (gas case).

Due to the fact that the abovementioned suspect is being outside of Ukraine, his lawyers were notified on the completion of the investigation, in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 24-1 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine.

For the same reasons and in the same way, another participant of the corruption scheme — the Financial Director of the companies controlled by the MP was notified on the completion of the investigation.

Currently, the suspects and their defenders had been granted access to the materials of the investigation. After that an indictment will be sent to court.

The investigation revealed that MP Oleksandr Onyshchenko is a creator and Head of a criminal organization, whose members in the period from January 2013 to June 2016 illegally seized more than 1.6 billion UAH while producing and selling natural gas. As a result, more than 740 million UAH losses was caused to the PJSC Ukrgasvydobuvannia (100% belong to the NJSC "Naftogaz of Ukraine").

The investigation revealed that 29 persons were involved in the scheme. Among them there are two close persons to the MP who acted as of co-organizers, others — employees of the PJSC Ukrgasvydobuvannia, lawyers, financiers, company executives etc.

8 persons have signed plea bargain agreements.

The indictments as of 12 suspects were sent to court.

7 persons (including the MP) were placed on international wanted list.