The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine has disclosed new details regarding the involvement of former Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko in a large-scale corruption scheme at the state enterprise Energoatom. According to investigators, the ex-minister turned out to be a key figure in the so-called kickback scheme, which NABU identifies under the name “barrier.”
This is reported by Finway
Complex International Structure for Money Laundering
The investigation revealed that in February 2021, a special structure was created on the island of Anguilla, which aimed to attract around 100 million dollars under the guise of investments. The head of this fund was a foreign citizen, whom law enforcement considers a professional intermediary in money laundering schemes.
To mask the official’s involvement in the scheme, two companies were organized in the Marshall Islands, which were included in a trust registered in Saint Kitts and Nevis. The beneficiaries of these structures were the former wife and children of the official. Through these companies, funds were transferred to the accounts of the fund in Swiss banks, where they were subsequently legalized using various financial instruments, including cryptocurrency.
Halushchenko’s Influence on the Public Sector and Ministries
“The key role of ‘Sigismund’ (Halushchenko) in the activities of the Ministry of Energy, Energoatom, the National Commission for State Regulation of Energy and Public Utilities (NERC), the Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine (GTSOU), and other entities in the state energy sector has practically not diminished. Even after his appointment in July 2025 as Minister of Justice, he gained the ability to influence two ministries,” said NABU detective Abakumov.
Investigators also established that over 7.4 million dollars were transferred to the accounts of the fund associated with the ex-minister’s family. In addition, more than 1.3 million Swiss francs and 2.4 million euros were issued in cash or transferred directly in Switzerland.