The Appeals Chamber of the High Anti-Corruption Court has upheld the preventive measure for Serhii Kropyva, Deputy Head of the Department for International Co-operation at the Prosecutor General’s Office.
According to the press service of the HACC Appeals Chamber, the panel of judges dismissed the defence’s appeals and confirmed the 6 September ruling to keep the official in custody, with the alternative of posting bail of UAH 120 million.
The suspect remains under arrest because the set bail amount has not been paid on his behalf. The Appeals Chamber’s decision took effect immediately upon announcement and is not subject to cassation appeal.
What Is Known About Operation “Carthage”
- NABU and SAPO said on 4 September that they were carrying out a special operation to expose a criminal organisation “headed by an official of the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine”.
- Anti-corruption agencies said members of the organisation may be involved in providing “protection” to a network of fraudulent call centres and in laundering assets.
- The Prosecutor General’s Office responded to the possible involvement of one of its employees in work linked to fraudulent call centres, saying all circumstances must be established by the investigation.
- The Prosecutor General denied his involvement in the scheme and ordered all prosecutors investigating cases involving illegal call centres to undergo polygraph tests. Kravchenko also submitted his resignation.
- In a NABU video, the organiser was shown as a PGO official referred to as “the Chancellor”, as well as “the Boss”, “the Muse” and other participants in the scheme. Overall, NABU reported exposing five individuals in proceedings under Article 255 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (establishing and leading a criminal organisation, as well as participation in it) and Article 209 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (legalisation (laundering) of property).
- On 6 September, the court remanded PGO employee Serhii Kropyva in custody. On 8 September, a preventive measure was chosen for a trusted associate of “the Chancellor”.
- Later, the former Prosecutor General Kravchenko’s First Deputy Mariia Vdovychenko resigned.
- On 15 September, the Verkhovna Rada backed Kravchenko’s dismissal from office. Before that, he left the country overnight.