Position: People's Deputy of the 8th and 9th convocations from the "European Solidarity" party, Co-chairman of the European Solidarity faction in the Verkhovna Rada of the 9th convocation.
The sphere of corrupt activity: the declaration of the NAZK.
Region of corruption activity: Kyiv.
Qualification: Part 1. Art. 366-2 of the Criminal Code (as amended by Law of Ukraine No. 1074-Х of 04.12.2020) (intentional entry by the subject of the declaration of knowingly false information), is punishable by a fine from two thousand five hundred to three thousand non-taxable minimum incomes of citizens or community service for a term from one hundred and fifty to two hundred and forty hours, with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for a period of up to three years.
Status: the appeals chamber of the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has released People's Deputy Gerasimov from criminal liability for not declaring a villa in Spain. As of the time of consideration of the appeals of the parties, the statute of limitations for bringing Gerasimov to criminal responsibility for the offense has expired.
The story of the case: on January 13, 2023, NABU and SAP informed People's Deputy of Ukraine of the 9th convocation, Artur Gerasymov, about the suspicion of entering unreliable information in the e-declaration for 2020 regarding real estate abroad and funds in bank accounts. The person's actions were qualified under part 1 of Art. 366-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (as amended by Law of Ukraine No. 1074-Х of 04.12.2020). Since the whereabouts of the People's Deputy were unknown, he was informed of the suspicion in accordance with Art. 135 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine," the NABU said in a statement.
The investigation established that the elected official did not declare a two-story duplex apartment and a parking space in the province of Alicante (Spain), which he owns together with his wife, the Bureau noted.
"NABU detectives found out that this real estate was purchased by the people's deputy back in 2013 for 190 thousand euros. Also, more than 1.6 thousand US dollars in accounts in Ukrainian banks turned out to be undeclared," the report says.
NABU and SAP began investigating these facts based on the publications of the journalists of the "Schemes" program.
On August 17, 2023, the panel of judges of the High Anti-Corruption Court found the People's Deputy guilty of knowingly submitting false information to the annual declaration for 2020.
The judges sentenced the deputy to a fine of 3,000 tax-free minimum incomes of citizens. The sanction also provides for deprivation of the right to hold positions related to the performance of the functions of a government representative in state authorities for a period of 1 year.
However, due to the expiration of the statute of limitations, the people's deputy was released from serving the sentence.
"Due to the expiration of the statute of limitations, the person was released from serving the sentence," the message reads.
And already at the end of 2023, in November, the Appellate Chamber of the High Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine overturned the verdict of the High Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine of August 17, 2023 and released People's Deputy Gerasimov from criminal liability for failing to declare a villa in Spain.
According to the court's decision, as of the time of consideration of the parties' appeals, the statute of limitations for holding Gerasimov criminally liable for the offense committed had expired.
According to the court's decision, as of the time of consideration of the parties' appeals, the statute of limitations for holding Gerasimov criminally liable for the offense committed had expired.
In January 2025, it became known that the National Anti-Corruption Bureau is investigating a case of alleged false declaration by People's Deputy Artur Gerasimov about his wife's house in the Kyiv region. This is stated in the court case materials and confirmed by media sources in anti-corruption agencies.
As indicated, on October 2, then-Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin opened criminal proceedings on the alleged false declaration by People's Deputy Gerasimov.
Persons potentially involved in corruption:
5th President Petro Poroshenko.
Artur Gerasimov is one of the closest associates of the fifth president, Petro Poroshenko. During Poroshenko's presidential term, he was the head of the BPP faction, and at one time Gerasimov was President Petro Poroshenko's representative in the Verkhovna Rada.
It is worth noting that Poroshenko and Gerasimov have known each other for at least 20 years, because Gerasimov made attempts to enter politics back in 2012. Then he ran for single-mandate constituency No. 51, located in Horlivka, Donetsk region. And, of course, Petro Poroshenko supported him in his political endeavors.
Assets: Artur Gerasimov indicated in his 2022 declaration luxury watches of famous brands: Breguet, Chonard, and IWC. The MP drives a 2018 Range Rover, and his wife owns a 2017 AUDI Q7, the cost of the car is UAH 1,050,000.
The salary received at Gerasimov's main place of work is UAH 475,677.
In addition, the couple owns considerable amounts of cash. In particular, Gerasimov declared 490,000 UAH, 58,000 USD, and 11,000 EUR in cash, while his wife has 2,680,000 UAH and 305,000 USD in cash.
Scandals: In 2020, Gerasimov sued President Volodymyr Zelensky because in September 2019 he canceled the decree of the 5th President Petro Poroshenko on assigning Gerasimov the rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.
According to Zelensky's decree, President Poroshenko's decree on assigning the diplomatic ranks of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary not only to Gerasimov, but also to his colleague in the faction, Volodymyr Ariev, was canceled.
At the time of the assignment of ranks, Volodymyr Ar'yev headed the Permanent Delegation of the Verkhovna Rada to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, and Artur Gerasimov headed the Permanent Delegation of the Verkhovna Rada to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.
The plaintiffs, politicians, insisted: the newly elected head of state had unreasonably revoked the decree of his predecessor. After all, the Constitution does not give the president the authority to strip diplomatic ranks. This can only be done by the courts.
The Supreme Court upheld the claims of the people's deputies. Themis recognized the controversial decree of Zelensky as unlawful and canceled it. It explained that the president can assign higher diplomatic ranks by his decrees, but cannot cancel them. Therefore, the decree of September 11, 2019 No. 680 was issued outside the president's powers, the court emphasized.
The Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court also agreed with the assessments of the court of first instance. The court emphasized: the decree of President Petro Poroshenko is an individual act that was implemented and exhausted its effect by the fact of its execution. Namely, the assignment of diplomatic rank to Aryev and Gerasimov. Therefore, this decree cannot be canceled by President Volodymyr Zelenskyi.
Themis noted that, according to the law on diplomatic service, the head of state can withdraw the diplomatic rank if he has given it. But there is an important condition: a person must be in the diplomatic service and at the same time renounce Ukrainian citizenship.
Separately, the Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court reacted to the arguments of the representative of the head of state regarding the fact that neither Ariev nor Gerasimov were in the diplomatic service at the time of their assignment of rank.
In this regard, the court noted that such arguments cannot be used to justify the legality of President Zelenskyi's decree to cancel Poroshenko's decree, which has already expired.
A separate opinion was expressed by the judge of the Great Chamber Oleksandr Zolotnikov. He believes that the court should have rejected the lawsuits of elected officials Ariev and Gerasimov. The reason is that politicians have delayed filing lawsuits to challenge Zelenskyi's decree.
The thing is, Judge Zolotnikov explained, people's deputies had a month from the moment of the publication of the controversial Zelenskyi decree (on September 19, 2019, Volodymyr Zelenskyi's decree No. 680 was published in the "Official Gazette of the President of Ukraine") to go to court. However, Gerasimov filed a lawsuit on February 27, 2020, and Ariev on March 3, 2020.
We would like to emphasize that the two decisions of the Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court in the cases of Volodymyr Aryev and Artur Gerasimov entered into force from the date of their adoption (November 24, 2022), are final and are not subject to appeal.
Persons who should have responded to corruption schemes during his tenure: in the case of Gerasimov, law enforcement agencies responded, however, the villa became known as early as 2021, and the people's deputy received suspicion as early as 2023.
Sources:
NAZK - State register of declarations
Zelenskyi lost two trials to People's Deputies from Poroshenko's party
Gerasimov Artur Volodymyrovych - Description of the politician
Unified state register of court decisions
People's deputy Gerasimov lost a court case for not declaring an estate in Spain
Zelenskyi lost two trials to People's Deputies from Poroshenko's party
At Poroshenko's bosom. Who is Gerasimov and why did he head the BPP?
Member of the "EU" Gerasimov did not declare a villa in Spain - "Schemes"