Position: People's Deputy of Ukraine of the 7th and 8th convocations
The sphere of corruption activity: state and communal procurement, customs.
Region of corrupt activity : Kyiv
Qualification: Part 5 Art. 27, Part 5 of Art. 191 of the Criminal Code - misappropriation, waste of property, or taking possession of it by abuse of official position. If they are committed on a particularly large scale or by an organized group, they are punishable by imprisonment for a term of seven to twelve years with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for a term of up to three years and confiscation of property.
Status: The case is being heard in the Anti-Corruption Court for the fourth year. Valery Ishchenko is free on personal recognizance with a number of obligations.
The plot of the case: on October 2, 2019, NABU and SAP informed three persons of the suspicion of causing damage in the amount of UAH 20 million to SE "Ukrzaliznychpostach" (since December 2015 - a branch of JSC "Ukrzaliznytsia") and an attempt to seize another UAH 44 million in the same DP .
According to the investigation, in 2015, entrepreneur Oleksiy Bilenky appealed to the People's Deputy in office at the time with a request for assistance in organizing a scheme to supply hardware products to Ukrzaliznytsia at double inflated prices. Valery Ishchenko agreed to contribute with his financial resources and business connections. In addition, an assistant to the People's Deputy participated in the commission of the crime, carrying out his instructions regarding finances and advising other participants in the scheme.
The People's Deputy also appealed to the adviser to the head of the AP, restaurateur Mykhailo Beilin (at that time), to influence the officials of the State Enterprise "Ukrzaliznychpostach" to ensure victories at the auctions and conclude a contract for the supply of hardware products at a price desired by the participants in the crime. As a result, according to the investigation, "Ukrzaliznytsia" suffered property damage of over UAH 20 million.
According to the version of the investigation, the ex-people's deputy controlled a group of enterprises, including Solar-Sky LLC. According to the exposed scheme, this company transferred more than UAH 27 million as interest-free financial assistance to an unknown person controlled by Incomm LLC. The mentioned funds were used by "Incomm" to prepay PJSC "Druzhkiv Metal Products Plant" for hardware products, which were later supplied to SE "Ukrzaliznychpostach" at inflated prices.
Suspicion was reported on October 2, 2019. The court chose Valery Ishchenko as a preventive measure in the form of house arrest. The court ordered Valery Ishchenko to hand over his passport, but he was not given an electronic bracelet. In addition, the exparliamentary's property was seized.
On June 12, 2020, the SAP transferred the case to the court. The case is being heard in the Anti-Corruption Court for the fourth year. Today, Valery Ishchenko is free on personal recognizance with a number of responsibilities.
Persons potentially involved in Valery Ishchenko's schemes:
On October 2, 2019, Mykhailo Beilin, a freelance adviser to the head of the Presidential Administration, Boris Lozhkin, was informed of suspicion, on October 17, he was sent under house arrest, the case is in court.
Oleksiy Bilenky, businessman, ultimate beneficiary of a number of enterprises, including: Soyuz-Energo LLC, Luxven LLC, Incomm LLC, Alevarus LLC, and Katrin JV. VAKS allowed to try businessman Bilenkoy in absentia, he lives in the EU and is wanted internationally. The Supreme Court satisfied the claim of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and declared invalid the donation of 10 plots of land and 8 apartments by the wife of businessman Oleksiy Bilenkoy, who is accused in the case of railway corruption.
Scandals :
In 2014, Valery Ishchenko was involved in one of the first corruption scandals in post-Maidan Ukraine. His assistant and manager Hryhoriy Yaroshenko tried to collect money in the regions as an alleged "new customs officer". This was reported by the Deputy Governor of Dnipropetrovsk Region Svyatoslav Oliynyk. The SBU then opened a criminal case, but it did not end in anything. And journalist Yurii Butusov reported in the context of this case about Ishchenko's business and social ties with People's Deputy from BPP Artur Palatny. According to the journalist, Palatny allegedly discussed the scandalous case of his assistant with Ishchenko.
Persons who should have responded to Valery Ishchenko's corruption schemes:
GPU At the time of the obvious corruption schemes for companies controlled by Valery Ishchenko, the General Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine was headed by Yuriy Lutsenko.
NABU At the time Valery Ishchenko organized the schemes for the companies controlled by him, Artem Sytnyk was the head of NABU.
Wealth: Lives in Kyiv in an apartment of 204 square meters, which he bought in 2016, has two parking spaces and his own office - 68 square meters. He drives a 2011 TOYOTA LAND CRUISER and has $500,000 and UAH 1.8 million in savings.
Prefers expensive watches.
Sources:
ANTI-CORRUPTION COURT SEIZED PROPERTY OF FORMER DEPUTY ISHCHENKO
VAKS scheduled a meeting in the case of ex-Deputy Ishchenko and restaurateur Beilin
The court reduced the duties of ex-National Deputy Ishchenko
SAP reported the suspicion to the former deputy of the People's Republic