A close friend of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been accused of $100 million in corruption in the energy sector

Timur Minditch “exercised control over the accumulation, distribution and legalization of funds of criminal origin in the Ukrainian energy sector”, according to allegations from the special anti-corruption prosecutor’s office.

Corruption scandals are still growing. A close friend of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Timur Minditch, was accused on Tuesday by Ukrainian investigators of orchestrating a $100 million corruption scheme in the energy sector.

Timur Minditch is one of the owners of the audiovisual production company Kvartal 95, founded by Volodymyr Zelensky, who was a star comedian in Ukraine before entering politics. According to the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (Sapo), this is “exercising control over the accumulation, distribution and legalization of funds of criminal origin in the energy sector of Ukraine”and make use of it “special relationship with the Ukrainian president” for his criminal activities. The current Minister of Justice and former Minister of Energy, German Galouchchenko, was also accused by Sapo of receiving “personal gain” Timur Minditch in exchange for his control over financial flows in the energy sector.

On Monday, the National Corruption Eradication Agency (Nabu) announced that it had dismantled a system of corruption involving $100 million in laundered funds. Five people were arrested and seven charged, following a 15-month investigation codenamed “Operation Midas.” Timur Minditch left the country shortly before the search, according to the head of the Nabu investigation team. In his daily address Monday evening, Volodymyr Zelensky said the fight against corruption was important “absolutely necessary” and asked those responsible to cooperate with Nabu.