With his bear-like look and immense clout, Andriy Yermak towered over Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for years literally and figuratively. A former copyright lawyer who collaborated with District 95, a comic troupe that propelled Zelenskyy to stardom, the 54-year-old Yermak became Ukraine's grey cardinal after the former comedian won the 2019 presidential vote. list of 4 itemsend of list While chief of Zelenskyy's staff, Yermak played an outsized role he was widely considered as vice president and vice prime minister.
According to Ukraine's Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO), the alleged $100m scheme was orchestrated by businessman Timur Mindich, a close ally of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. SAPO's investigators say Galushchenko helped Mindich manage illicit financial flows in the energy sector, while contractors working with Energoatom were forced to pay bribes of 10 to 15 percent to avoid losing contracts or facing payment delays.