The High Anti-Corruption Court is selecting a preventive measure for former Vice Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov. In the wiretaps released by NABU, Chernyshov was referred to as “CheGuevara” as part of operational secrecy.
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The SAPO prosecutor is speaking. According to the investigation, suspects Fursenko and Ustymenko, under the direction of Zukerman and Mindich, laundered $1.2 million and €96,000, transferring the funds to then–Deputy Prime Minister Chernyshov.
Meetings between Mindich’s back-office staff and Chernyshov were coded as “The Intellectual Club.” On February 11 of this year, Chernyshov received $227,000 and €96,000 from the scheme’s participants.
On March 4, after Mindich approved the matter, Chernyshov received another $500,000, the prosecutor said.
On May 9, Chernyshov received an additional $500,000. The money was transferred through his wife, Svitlana Chernyshova, who was codenamed “The Professor.” According to SAPO, the funds were handed over inside a beauty and medical center in central Kyiv owned by Zukerman’s family.
After resigning as Deputy Prime Minister in July this year, Chernyshov filed an updated asset declaration but failed to disclose any of the funds received from participants in the NABU case.
As one piece of evidence, the prosecutor cited the fact that on February 11 at 18:29, Chernyshov—while standing on Volodymyrska Street—took photos of St. Sophia Cathedral. The apartment used as Mindich’s back office was located right next to it. And on that same day, according to the investigation, Chernyshov received the first tranche.
Among the risks noted, the prosecutor emphasized that Chernyshov had left Ukraine more than 50 times during wartime. Additionally, his son resides abroad permanently, and the suspect’s financial standing would allow him to comfortably live overseas.
The prosecutor also pointed out that data extracted from the phone of Chernyshov’s wife showed calls and messages involving her, Chernyshov, and Zukerman regarding meetings on May 8–9, when the third tranche was recorded. Meanwhile, all related data was erased from Chernyshov’s own phone—meaning he deleted communications with his wife.
The group used multiple secrecy measures, including private apartments, pseudonyms, and disguising cash transfers—such as staging meetings near a car wash under the pretext of washing the vehicle, or involving Chernyshov’s wife under the cover of visiting a beauty salon, the prosecutor added.
If the court decides to detain Chernyshov with the option of bail, the prosecutor is asking for 55 million UAH, equal to the amount of illicit funds Chernyshov allegedly received in this case.
The prosecutor then moved on to case materials.
On February 11, 2025, the participants discussed a meeting of the “Intellectual Club,” to be attended by Chernyshov, “Elektronik,” “Serezha the Judge,” and “some Pole.” Earlier reports suggest that “Elektronik” is Denis Shtilerman, chief designer at Fire Point. The identities of “Serezha the Judge” and “the Pole” remain unknown.
