Journalists: Tyshchenko may have used charitable fund for kickbacks from call centers
MP Mykola Tyshchenko and his ex-wife allegedly used a charitable fund to obtain illegal benefits, including from call center activities.
Investigative journalists from Bihus.Info have reported that Ukrainian MP Mykola Tyshchenko and his ex-wife Alla Baranovska may have used a charitable fund to obtain undue benefits. The relevant materials were made public during a court hearing on July 3, when a preventive measure was chosen for Tyshchenko.
According to the investigation, in 2022 Tyshchenko and his then-wife Baranovska organized charity dinners in various European cities to raise funds for the military or Ukrainian cities affected by the war. The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP) investigated the charitable fund used for these events. Investigators believe the fund may have inflated the real cost of cars purchased for the military and used the money for personal needs.
In one episode presented in court, Baranovska is heard discussing the overpricing of cars: "Four small cars won't look good. I need to photograph them to look like 100 thousand. No one will believe these four junkers cost 25 thousand each. They won't visually pull 100 grand... Don't forget to return 40, otherwise they'll tear my head off."
Another episode involves soliciting illegal benefits. According to the investigation, under the guise of fighting so-called call centers, Tyshchenko demanded money from people he believed were involved in their operations. In return, he promised not to hinder the activities of some call centers and to promote the interests of others, using his powers as a people's deputy. Part of these funds were allegedly received as charitable donations through the fund "Road of Peace," but some contributions never reached the fund's accounts.
Additionally, investigators believe Tyshchenko laundered 12.6 million hryvnias of illegal origin through a fictitious gift agreement with his ex-wife. He later included this in his declaration.
On July 3, the High Anti-Corruption Court set Tyshchenko's bail at 10 million hryvnias. On June 29, NABU and SAP notified him of suspicion of soliciting an illegal benefit, money laundering, and providing false information in his declaration. According to the investigation, in August 2023 the MP asked for over $1 million from a person he believed was involved in call center work, promising to use his powers in their interests, but did not receive the money.
The defense lawyer stated that Tyshchenko paid the 10 million hryvnia bail. Later, sources reported that 5 million was paid by the Dnipro-based LLC "Vostoktranslogistika," which had not declared any revenue for the past two years. Another 4.35 million was paid by businessman and former state enterprise manager Kostiantyn Burkovsky. Tyshchenko himself paid the remaining 650,000 hryvnias.
