Law enforcement officers discovered a crypto-wallet containing nearly $1.5 million worth of cryptocurrency in the phone of the former head of the State Special Communications Service, Yuri Shchigol.
Such data were announced during a meeting of the Supreme Anti-Corruption Court, at which a preventive measure was chosen for the ex-official.
The NABU detective and the prosecutor of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office ask the court to take Shchigol into custody with an alternative bail of UAH 50.23 million .
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The prosecutor argued this petition by the fact that “a crypto-wallet was found on Shchigol’s phone, in which funds in various cryptocurrencies are stored.”
“In particular, the Tether USDT cryptocurrency in the amount of 1,201,285 units, which as of November 20 is $1,201,928,” the prosecutor said.
In addition, the crypto wallet contains 6.9 bitcoins, the value of which is estimated at $265 thousand. That is, the total amount of cryptocurrency is $1.47 million .
Law enforcement officers also found €82 thousand and $72 thousand in cash during the searches on Yuri Shchigol.
The court hearing to select a preventive measure for the ex-head of the State Service for Special Communications is still ongoing.
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What is Yuri Shchigol suspected of?
On November 20, the Cabinet of Ministers dismissed the head of the State Service for Special Communications and Information Protection, Yuri Shchigol, and his deputy, Viktor Zhora.
And NABU and SAPO announced the exposure of a scheme in which the leadership of the State Special Communications Agency was involved. There are six suspects in the case, including Yuri Shchigol and his deputy.
According to investigators, participants in this scheme stole public funds in the amount of more than UAH 62 million when purchasing equipment and software at an inflated cost. We are talking about the period 2020-2022.
Suspicion declared under Part 5 of Art. 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (misappropriation, embezzlement of property or taking possession of it through abuse of official position). The defendants face 7 to 12 years in prison.
