Corruption, murder, and tenders: the most notable criminal cases in Ukraine over the past year.

What is really happening in the case of MP Mykola Tyshchenko, how the Kroupa case marked the beginning of the end for the MSEC in Ukraine, what motivated the killer of Iryna Fariyon, and how the Grinkevich case is progressing – in the material by RBC-Ukraine journalist Yulia Akimova.

During the prolonged war with Russia, Ukraine has become much more sensitive to corruption and crimes related to the national security of the country. It cannot be said that corruption has increased; rather, it has become much more visible, and the resonance from any crime related to budget theft immediately takes on grandiose proportions.

The same can be said for any incidents related to national security, even if they do not have a direct connection to it. RBC-Ukraine recalls the most high-profile cases of 2024 involving top officials, MPs, and large-scale corruption.

Tyshchenko and the "offices"

Mykola Tyshchenko sought fame since the early 2000s when he actively broke into television. First in "Fort Boyard," then as a judge on "Master Chef," and a host on "Revizor," while simultaneously developing in the restaurant business. In 2019, he decided that a career as a showman and restaurateur was not enough, so he ran for parliamentary elections, where he became a majoritarian candidate from the "Servant of the People" party and entered the Verkhovna Rada.

His term was marked by a series of scandals, mainly concerning his eccentric statements. Over the years, Tyshchenko managed to call Ukraine a "blow-up doll," the Chernobyl disaster a "great holiday," and added the phrase "Christ is risen" to his Christmas greetings. During the war, Tyshchenko unexpectedly flew to Thailand, claiming it was a business trip to conduct "negotiations" with partners from Vietnam. Following this episode, he was expelled from the faction. This is just a small part of what Mykola Tyshchenko is remembered for, and it seemed that this might have been enough, but in the summer of 2024, there was not just an embarrassment but a full-blown criminal scandal.

On June 20, in Dnipro, masked individuals attacked and beat former volunteer and member of the special unit "Kraken," Dmytro Pavlov. In video footage that was captured, it is evident that the men surround Pavlov, who was walking with a baby stroller, handcuff him, and beat him. The Dnipro police provisionally opened two cases concerning battery and unlawful deprivation of liberty.

On the same day, sources in law enforcement reported that Mykola Tyshchenko was directly involved in the conflict, having recently declared war on illegal call centers, referred to as "offices." To effectively combat fraudsters, Tyshchenko decided to travel to Dnipro, where one of these "offices" was located, where he had an argument with military man Pavlov, who, according to Tyshchenko, was guarding the illegal call center, and Tyshchenko's security beat him. It is noteworthy that police officer Bohdan Pysarenko was also involved in the conflict, who was later dismissed.

On June 25, GDBR officers, along with the police, conducted searches at Tyshchenko's home, during which they found bundles of cash in bags and boxes, as well as expensive watches. During the searches, the MP deliberately smashed his phone by hitting it against the corner of a table. The GDBR noted that he did this in vain – with current technology, all necessary information can be recovered even from a broken phone.

In court, Tyshchenko remained consistent – addressing the judge, he pleaded not to take his money, as he would have nothing to live on. "And it's not funny. I earned them over 30 years, with these hands. And I haven't taken anything from anyone," Tyshchenko said during the trial.

On December 17, the GDBR announced that the investigation into Tyshchenko's case was completed – he is charged with unlawful deprivation of liberty and causing physical injuries to a person. Under this charge, Tyshchenko could face up to five years in prison. It remains unclear how the prosecution will prove Tyshchenko's guilt in court, who, according to the investigation, ordered his security to beat Pavlov.

On December 23, a court was supposed to take place, where the MP's preventive measure would be extended. Tyshchenko was to be brought there forcibly, but he promised to come himself and unexpectedly did not show up. According to the prosecutor, on December 23, early in the morning, the MP was admitted to the hospital with a preliminary diagnosis of ischemic heart disease.

While the investigation was ongoing, audio recordings of phone conversations were also published in the media, in which a voice resembling Tyshchenko's discusses how to make money from call centers. "And we start working as partners. And I want 50 minutes for entry so that the company can come in. And I want something specific for myself. Also, something every month for entry," says a person with a voice similar to Tyshchenko's.

The MP himself denies that it is his voice on the recordings and claims that his voice was faked using neural networks. Law enforcement agencies have not commented on this information – neither the GDBR nor the SBU responded to RBC-Ukraine's inquiries. Whether the "Tyshchenko tapes" will be discussed during the court hearings on the case remains unknown, but it is unlikely – this is a separate article and separate proceedings, for which Tyshchenko has not been informed of any suspicions.

As the MP did not appear in court, they were unable to impose a preventive measure and postponed the hearing to January 6. The court will have to determine whether Tyshchenko has a valid reason for his absence and whether it is possible to choose a preventive measure in absentia.

Khmelnytskyi MSEC

On October 4, the GDBR announced that they had uncovered the head of the Khmelnytskyi medical and social expert commission and her son – the head of the regional pension fund. They found about 6 million dollars in cash at their home. Photographs showed ordinary bedroom dressers and nightstands stuffed with money and expensive jewelry. In the head of the MSEC's office, they also found money – around 100 thousand dollars, as well as a number of forged documents and lists of military personnel with fake diagnoses.

Over time, it became clear that this was about Tatiana Kroupa. In addition to leading the MSEC, she was also involved in political life as a deputy in the Khmelnytskyi regional council from the "Servant of the People" faction. Alongside this, Kroupa holds the title of Honored Doctor of Ukraine. According to GDBR investigators, during the searches, she was throwing bags of dollars out the window. The absurd picture was completed by the official's husband – former head of the State Audit Office in the Khmelnytskyi region, Volodymyr Kroupa, who was lying on the bed surrounded by bundles of cash while investigators searched the apartment.

After the searches, Kroupa was informed of suspicion of illegal enrichment. The sanction of the article provides for imprisonment of up to 12 years. While the investigation was ongoing, it became clear that the Kroupa family had a rather impressive list of assets – 30 real estate properties in Khmelnytskyi, Lviv, and Kyiv, 9 luxury cars, corporate rights worth 48 million hryvnias, and a hotel-restaurant complex of 3,000 square meters. Abroad, the officials owned real estate in Austria, Spain, and Turkey, and had 2 million 300 thousand dollars in accounts. All of this was, accordingly, undeclared.

On October 7, a preventive measure of 60 days in pre-trial detention was chosen for Tatiana Kroupa, with the possibility of posting bail of 500 million hryvnias. On November 28, her arrest was extended, and the bail amount was reduced to 280 million hryvnias. While the investigation was ongoing, numerous details emerged – as early as 2017, her nephew gifted her a store worth 200 thousand hryvnias, which she sold during the war for 18 million hryvnias.

The investigation materials also contain correspondence between Kroupa and law enforcement agencies, including the GDBR and the Khmelnytskyi regional prosecutor's office. Kroupa herself stated during one of the court proceedings that not all the money found at her home belongs to her. An informed source told RBC-Ukraine the same.

"They probably found a 'common fund' with her. This is not all her money, but it's not the funds from the 'investment projects' her husband mentioned. This is a 'common fund' that she kept at home," said the source.

The case with Kroupa is essentially unprecedented. Perhaps before February 2022, millions of dollars and real estate