In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attends a news conference in Kyiv, Ukraine, on October 31, 2025. AP
Ukrainian investigators on Tuesday, November 11, accused a key ally of President Volodymyr Zelensky, Timur Mindich, of orchestrating a $100 million corruption scheme, as a major standoff over graft in the war-torn country escalates.
The accusations against Mindich are the latest episode in a sweeping corruption scandal involving claims of massive embezzlement from the energy sector, even as the country's infrastructure is battered by Russian attacks. Mindich co-owns the media production company Kvartal 95, founded by Zelensky, who was a star comedian before running for office.
"Mindich exercised control over the accumulation, distribution, and legalization of money obtained through criminal means in the energy sector of Ukraine," a prosecutor from the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) said.
The suspect used "friendly relations with the president of Ukraine" in his criminal activity, the prosecutor added during a pre-trial hearing for another man accused of involvement in the scheme.
