On June 12, Ukrainian prosecutors detained the first deputy head of the State Fiscal Service’s Main Department in Kyiv Mykola Ilyashenko, Burisma’s chief legal officer Andrii Kicha, and an ex-Fiscal Service employee Elena Mazurova on the account of attempted bribe.
Ilyashenko had allegedly wanted to hand over 6 million USD to the notorious NABU agent Evgeny Shevchenko. The incredulous amount of cash was supposed to convince he National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) to close the Zlochevsky case – a gesture presumably meant as a ridiculous present in time for the oligarch’s 54th birthday on June 14. “Tomorrow is Zlochevsky’s birthday. So, the plan was to get the best result possible – to close criminal proceedings and ensure the return of Mr. Zlochevsky to Ukraine,” the head of NABU Artem Sytnyk explained at a press conference.
The High Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine decided on preventive measures for the defendants of the $6 million bribe case. Andrii Kicha was sentenced to 60 days of detention (until August 10) with the right to bail in the amount of 40 million 358 thousand 400 UAH. Ilyashenko's bail, in turn, amounts to 84 million UAH.
Burisma, which was at the heart of Donald Trump’s impeachment procedure, denied any part in the events, claiming the company has always adhered to the law.