The National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office have announced suspicion of illegal enrichment against Andriy Klochkо, a Member of the Ukrainian Parliament. Andriy Klochkо is the godfather and “political protector” of Irpin Mayor Oleksandr Markushyn, who is suspected of embezzling 17 million UAH from the Irpin budget through inflated salary payments to close associates in the executive committee. A measure of restraint will be chosen for the MP, who faces up to 5 years in prison under Article 368-5 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
According to the investigation, between 2020 and 2021, Andriy Klochkо acquired assets worth a total of 25 million UAH, while his and his wife’s official income and savings during this period amounted to no more than 14 million UAH. Thus, the difference between the value of the acquired property and the MP’s funds is 11 million UAH.
The assets include three plots of land in Kyiv Oblast, five apartments in the capital, two non-residential premises, as well as Tesla and Mercedes-Benz cars. To conceal the ownership of these assets, the MP registered them under close relatives while continuing to control them. The exposure of the crime occurred following investigative journalism, particularly by the Bihus.Info team and with the assistance of the National Agency for Corruption Prevention.
It is worth noting that the National Police of Kyiv Oblast conducted searches in the Irpin City Council and at the residences of executive committee officials. According to the publication “Mistoinform,” funds embezzled from the budget were used to finance an informal “press service” for Markushyn, coordinated by the mayor’s partner, the black public relations specialist Taisiya Yusupova. The formal reason for the commission to suspend Krawchuk was a statement by Irpin City Council deputy Artem Huryn. It was Huryn and his family members, under Markushyn’s direction, who received 300,000 UAH from the city program for the vulnerable titled “Care.”