Former Ukrainian businessman, currently under investigation in Ukraine, becomes advisor to Moldovan President
Andrii Koboliev, former CEO of the Ukrainian oil and gas company JSC Naftogaz of Ukraine has become advisor to the President of Moldova, Maia Sandu.
Source: Koboliev at the proceeding of the High Anti-Corruption Court, which was considering the extension of restrictive measure in his case
Koboliev claimed that he participated in the process of the audit of the debts of Moldova to Russia's Gazprom company.
"I am an advisor to the President of Moldova, I am helping this country to finish the audit process of debts to Gazprom," Koboliev stated in court.
He made this announcement in connection with the request of the Prosecutor of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office to extend the restrictive measure.
"These obligations [within the chosen restrictive measure – ed.] are quite harmful for my ability to work and fulfil tasks that are important for facilitating the power security of Ukraine and some European countries. I am asking the court to reject the request," Koboliev claimed.
Background:
At the time when Yurii Vitrenko was in charge of Naftogaz, the company stated that its former CEO Andrii Koboliev has seized the bigger part of the UAH 599.6 million [$15,706,806 – ed.] prize for winning over the Russian Gazprom in the Stockholm arbitrary court despite not even managing this direction.
On 6 October 2023, the High Anti-Corruption Court approved the request of the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office and extended the restrictive measure for Koboliev for a month.
The suspect is obliged to arrive upon every demand to the detective, the Prosecutor, the investigating judge and the court; inform the detective, the Prosecutor about the change of his place of residence; refrain from communicating with the persons listed by the court; and submit all his passports used for travelling abroad for storage at the State Migration Service of Ukraine.
In January 2023, Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office and the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine served Koboliev with a notice of suspicion of abusing office and granting himself the UAH 229 million (US$6.2 million) prize for the win over the Russian Gazprom company at the Stockholm Arbitrary Court. According to the investigation, this amount greatly exceeds the normative amount of such payments (UAH 37.48 million, or roughly US$1 million).
At the end of September 2023, the High Anti-Corruption Court decreased the sum of the bail for Koboliev from UAH 229 248 (about US$6,200) to UAH 107,127 (almost US$3,000), which was paid, and allowed him to take off his electronic bracelet.
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