Ukraine's anti-corruption agencies have named Andriy Yermak, the powerful former chief of staff to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as a suspect in a major money-laundering investigation, dealing a fresh blow to the president's inner circle at a critical juncture in the country's war with Russia.
In a statement issued Monday, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine said it had dismantled an "organised group" that laundered approximately 460 million hryvnias — around $10.5 million — through a luxury residential development on the outskirts of Kyiv. The agencies, following Ukrainian legal practice, did not name Yermak directly, but described the suspect as the "former head of the Office of the President of Ukraine," and he was swiftly identified by Ukrainian media. Yermak denied owning any property in the development, telling Ukrainian outlet Radio Liberty he had only an apartment, and said he would comment further only once the investigation was concluded.
The case forms part of a broader, wide-ranging corruption crisis — known in Ukraine as the "Midas" affair — that first emerged in November 2024, when a former Zelenskyy business associate, Timur Mindich, was accused of orchestrating a $100 million kickback scheme at the state nuclear agency Energoatom. Subcontractors were allegedly forced to pay bribes in exchange for state contracts, with the proceeds funnelled into luxury housing projects. A former deputy prime minister, a former energy minister — who was arrested in February while allegedly attempting to flee the country — and a former justice minister have all faced charges in connection with the scandal.
Yermak, who served as chief of staff from 2020 until late 2025, was widely regarded as Ukraine's second most powerful figure despite holding an unelected position. A former television producer and entertainment lawyer who knew Zelenskyy from the entertainment industry, he was the president's constant companion and served as Kyiv's lead negotiator in US-backed peace talks with Russia. His home was searched last November, and he subsequently resigned in what Zelenskyy framed as an effort to avoid "rumours and speculation." Former military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov has since been appointed to replace him.
The investigation carries significant weight beyond domestic politics. Ukraine, which is seeking membership of the European Union, is required to demonstrate measurable progress on anti-corruption reform as a condition of its accession process. With the country entering the fifth year of war, the succession of high-profile graft cases has fuelled public anger and raised questions about governance at the highest levels of the Ukrainian state. Zelenskyy's communications adviser said it was too early to comment while procedural steps in the case remained ongoing.