Members of Ukraine’s EU-backed anti-corruption agency and the FBI are coordinating actions in the 2025 top energy investigation, which involves the alleged laundering of $100 million, ZN.UA reports, citing its own sources. 

Recently, representatives from both agencies met in connection with the case of Energoatom, Ukraine's sole nuclear operator.

According to investigators, the perpetrators demanded kickbacks amounting to 10–15% of Energoatom contract values. Contractors had to pay to avoid blocked payments or the loss of supplier status. Timyr Mindich, one of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's closest associates, oversaw the operation of a so-called “laundromat”, where funds obtained through illegal means were laundered.

In the embezzlement case, five individuals have been detained, and seven alleged members of the criminal organization have already been formally charged. Among those searched were Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko, who has since resigned, and Mindich, who is hiding abroad.

FBI returns to Ukrainian investigations 

A new FBI officer has recently arrived in Kyiv, and one of his first meetings was specifically focused on the Mindich case. The FBI representative works within the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine under an interagency memorandum originally signed during the bureau’s founding.

The case highlights Ukraine’s commitment, with strong European Union support, to eradicating corruption at the highest levels of government. However, the investigation must yield results and lead to the arrest of jail officials involved in the scheme. The case is especially painful to ordinary Ukrainians, who continue to endure up to 12-hour blackouts following Russian missile attacks.

For comparison, the stolen $100 million could have purchased 27 Patriot missiles or 40,000 Sting interceptor drones. 

After a brief technical pause that coincided with the US President Donald Trump administration, the document was re-signed following NABU Director Semen Kryvonos’s visit to the US. Since then, constant operational cooperation between NABU and the FBI has been restored for cases involving high-level corruption.

Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) released audio evidence from Operation Midas capturing suspects plotting 10–15% kickbacks on Ukraine's nuclear operator protection contracts.

Businessman Tymur Mindich, allegedly one of the key suspects, remains fugitive as parliament prepares dismissal votes for high-ranking officials and the opposition European Solidarity party, led by former president Petro Poroshenko, pushes to disband the entire Cabinet of Ministers.

The 15-month investigation exposed a $100 million kickback scheme on contracts for nuclear facility protection—infrastructure Russia has systematically targeted throughout the war. With parliament now considering dismissal of top energy officials and Ukraine seeking Western funds for energy infrastructure, the case demonstrates whether anti-corruption institutions can deliver the accountability Western partners require.

NABU tapes reveal protection racket at nuclear operator

NABU published recordings capturing suspects discussing systematic extortion from Energoatom contractors. The suspects used codenames throughout the 15-month investigation.

According to MP Yaroslav Zhelezniak, the recordings feature individuals identified by the following nicknames, Novynarnia reported:

• "Carlson" – Tymur Mindich, businessman and co-owner of Kvartal 95 studio, associate of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
• "Professor" – Herman Halushchenko, Justice Minister and former Energy Minister
• "Tenor" – Dmytro Basov, executive director for physical protection and security at Energoatom
• "Rocket" – Ihor Myroniuk, former advisor to Halushchenko during his tenure as Energy Minister

While NABU has not officially confirmed all identities, Hromadske reported that law enforcement confirmed Myroniuk as a former energy minister advisor and Basov as Energoatom's executive director for physical protection.

The recordings reveal how contractors faced what investigators call the "Shlagbaum" (boom barrier) system: pay the percentage or watch payments freeze and supplier status vanish. One company allegedly received a 435 million UAH ($10.5 million) contract in 2025 after agreeing to the higher 15% rate, NV confirmed.

The tapes also capture suspects' awareness of investigative risks. In a June 2025 exchange, "Carlson" expressed concern: "I don't want to end up being served with suspicion," Ukrainska Pravda noted. A month later, "Tenor" discussed building protective structures with "Rocket," mentioning colossal figures and asking whether to continue. "Rocket" replied: "I'd wait. But, f***, honestly, it's a shame to waste the money," Hromadske transcribed.

Money laundering through Derkach family office

NABU investigators uncovered a dedicated money-laundering office in central Kyiv belonging to the family of Andriy Derkach, a former Ukrainian MP now serving as a Russian senator, that processed approximately $100 million.

The scheme operated like a bank—with its own "cash discipline," accounting, currency operations, and geography stretching from Kyiv to Atlanta, Georgia, and Moscow, Ekonomichna Pravda noted. "Through this office, strict accounting of received funds was carried out, a "black ledger" was maintained, and money laundering was organized through a network of non-resident companies," the bureau stated.

In intercepted conversations, "Rocket" and "Tenor" discussed transferring tens of thousands of dollars while inventing new transfer routes. The operational part of the "laundry" was headed by someone nicknamed "Sugarman"—presumably one of the Tsukerman brothers, Mykhailo or Oleksandr, Ekonomichna Pravda noted.

Investigators discovered the scheme used cryptocurrency for money laundering and collected cash at at least 30 different locations across Kyiv to avoid financial monitoring detection, Suspilne reported. A significant part of the transactions, including cash disbursements, took place outside Ukraine.

During searches, NABU officers found an item labeled "Federal Protective Service of the Russian Federation" at the office of one scheme co-organizer, which the bureau called an "interesting artifact," NV highlighted.

Opposition escalates pressure with dismissal motions

Draft resolutions have been registered in the Verkhovna Rada to dismiss Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko and Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk, Ukrinform documented. The documents are listed under registration numbers 14200 and 14201 on the parliament's website. The initiatives were submitted by MP Yaroslav Zhelezniak.

Neither resolution has been added to the parliamentary agenda. Both motions are registered but not scheduled for consideration, and no date has been confirmed for votes on either the ministerial dismissals or a broader Cabinet resignation procedure.

Hrynchuk responded to the dismissal motion during a briefing: "I will not react to this because I do not understand the claims," UNN quoted. She emphasized continuing her duties: "I am doing my job."

Halushchenko has not publicly addressed the searches or dismissal motion. The Justice Ministry did not issue statements responding to the allegations.

European Solidarity party escalated the political response by initiating a procedure to dismiss the entire Cabinet of Ministers. "We are beginning the procedure for the resignation of the government—unprofessional and corrupt. Our goal is state governance, the unity of society, and the trust of partners. We call on all colleagues in parliament who are aware of the threats to the state to sign the resignation of the Cabinet of Ministers for the sake of forming a government of national salvation," the party stated on 10 November, Interfax Ukraine reported.

The party statement emphasized the wartime context: "When millions of Ukrainians were left without electricity during shelling, when the best were dying every day at the front, another 'battery' was working in the rear—the one that charged the pockets of the chosen ones. One hundred million dollars that could have gone to protect the energy infrastructure turned up in Energoatom's schemes," Interfax Ukraine quoted.

Zelenskyy's broad condemnation avoids names

President Zelenskyy addressed the investigation in his evening address on 10 November, hours after the raids. "Any effective action against corruption is very much needed. The inevitability of punishment is essential," he stated, Ukrainska Pravda reported. "Energoatom currently provides Ukraine with the largest share of power generation. Integrity within the company is a priority."

The president neither mentioned Mindich nor addressed the searches at Halushchenko's residence. "The energy sector and every branch, everyone who has constructed corrupt schemes, must face a clear procedural response. There must be convictions," Zelenskyy continued. "And government officials must work together with NABU and law enforcement bodies—and do it in a way that delivers real results."

The statement marks a careful position for Zelenskyy, whose administration faced July protests after attempting to subordinate NABU to the Prosecutor General. Parliament reversed that law after mass demonstrations, restoring the bureau's independence.

Mindich's flight hours before searches

Mindich crossed Ukraine's border at 02:09 on 10 November—hours before NABU detectives arrived at his residence, LIGA.net confirmed citing law enforcement sources. Zhelezniak stated Mindich "will be hiding in Israel and Austria." The timing raised immediate questions about information leaks, prompting SAPO head Oleksandr Klymenko to create a commission investigating the possible data breach, UNN reported.

Separately, the Security Service of Ukraine opened criminal proceedings on 6 November under Article 111-2 (aiding an aggressor state) based on allegations that Mindich maintained business operations in Russia during the full-scale invasion, specifically diamond extraction and sales, Interfax Ukraine detailed. The FBI is investigating Mindich for possible money laundering connected to the Odesa Port Plant, NV noted.

Operational implications for wartime energy security

The alleged corruption occurred while Russia conducted systematic strikes against Ukraine's energy infrastructure. Energoatom, which generates over half of Ukraine's electricity after the occupation of Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, manages procurement for nuclear safety and protective construction.

Diverting funds from nuclear safety projects creates vulnerabilities that could compromise defense readiness. The investigation reveals a pattern where contracts meant to protect critical infrastructure instead enriched middlemen operating outside official authority—turning wartime security needs into profit opportunities.

With Ukraine requesting additional Western financial support for energy infrastructure protection, according to the European Commission website, the investigation tests whether Kyiv can demonstrate effective governance over reconstruction investments. The scheme's exposure comes as the EU has already warned that failures in anti-corruption enforcement could jeopardize €50 billion in assistance, Euromaidan Press reported.

Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) revealed on 10 November 2025 an intricate corruption scheme at Energoatom: unvetted operatives wielding control over the country's state nuclear company through systematic bribery. Over 1,000 hours of surveillance recordings and 70 nationwide raids documented how these external actors, without formal positions, made critical decisions affecting the strategic enterprise.

The investigation, dubbed Operation Midas, targeted businessman Timur Mindich, co-owner of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's former comedy studio Kvartal 95, along with Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko, who previously served as energy minister, and several Energoatom executives, according to Ukrainian outlet NV.

MP Yaroslav Zhelezniak said Mindich left Ukraine hours before NABU officers arrived and "will be hiding in Israel and Austria," Interfax Ukraine reported.

How the scheme operated: kickbacks and shadow control

The evidence is stark: video and audio recordings show Energoatom contractors openly discussing bribe percentages—10 to 15 percent of contract values, investigators found. They call it "Shlagbaum," or boom barrier, slang for an obstacle designed to extract payments.

The scheme was ruthlessly systematic: prosecutors say bribes were demanded in exchange for avoiding blocked payments or loss of supplier status."In fact, management of the strategic enterprise with annual revenue of over $4.7 billion was carried out not by official employees, but by outsiders who had no formal authority, yet took on the role of 'watchers,'" NABU specialists said.

The recordings capture conversations about halting critical infrastructure protection projects—not for engineering reasons, but over monetary disputes about kickback rates.

Who investigators targeted in nationwide raids

The operation zeroed in on a network of officials and businessmen, including:

• Timur Mindich: Businessman and Kvartal 95 co-owner whose interests reportedly span defense (drone manufacturer Fire Point) and energy sectors. Media reports claim the FBI is investigating him for money laundering in cooperation with NABU.
• Herman Halushchenko: Current Justice Minister who served as Energy Minister during the period under investigation. Zheleznyak submitted a formal request for his dismissal.
• Ihor Myroniuk: Former advisor to Halushchenko whom sources describe as an "overseer" who met with contractors in back-office negotiations. NABU conducted searches at his residence.
• Zukerman brothers (Mykhailo and Oleksandr): Financiers who allegedly handled Mindich's business operations. Zhelezniak reported both fled Ukraine, though NABU officers intercepted one brother during a summer escape attempt.

Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk also faces dismissal calls over alleged connections to the scheme.

Political fallout and parallel investigations

The scandal has triggered immediate fallout. Parliament member Zheleznyak branded it "systemic corruption" demanding action, and dismissal requests for Galushchenko and Hrynchuk face Parliamentary vote.

Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) is separately investigating Mindich for "assistance to an aggressor state" based on allegations about diamond extraction and sales operations in Russia during the full-scale invasion, Interfax Ukraine reported. SBU's Main Investigation Department confirmed on 6 November 2025 that it opened criminal proceedings under Article 111-2 of Ukraine's Criminal Code.

Wartime vulnerability: what this means for Ukraine's energy security

The alleged corruption occurred while Ukraine's energy infrastructure faced systematic Russian missile and drone attacks. As a state enterprise managing nuclear power operations with annual revenues exceeding $4.7 billion, Energoatom's procurement and staffing processes offered lucrative opportunities for corrupt actors.

"Corruption in the energy sector, money laundering, illegal enrichment," Oleksandr Abakumov, head of NABU's detective unit, outlined as the main directions of the large-scale investigation, NV reported.

Diverting funds meant for nuclear safety and infrastructure projects creates vulnerabilities that could compromise defense readiness and undermine public trust in government accountability during wartime.

What happens next

NABU has not publicly identified all participants in the alleged criminal organization. Prosecutors say audio and video evidence will support further prosecutions as the investigation expands.

The case is seen as a critical test for Ukraine's anti-corruption infrastructure. Western governments have previously defended NABU's independence, viewing such enforcement as essential to Ukraine's European integration path and its ability to maintain international support.

The investigation also raises serious governance questions for Energoatom. Before the full-scale invasion, the company generated approximately half of Ukraine's electricity. With the six-reactor Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant under Russian occupation since March 2022, the integrity of the company's remaining operations is paramount.

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