NABU probe targets Zelenskyy’s office and state bank in new corruption scandal

Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies have launched a high-profile investigation into an alleged money-laundering scheme involving a former senior official in President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office, a sitting and a former lawmaker, and top managers of the state-owned Sense Bank. The case, codenamed Operation “Forrest Gump” (or “Forest Gump”), centres on the laundering of 150 million hryvnias (approximately 3 million euro) used to post bail for former Energy and Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko (also spelled Galushchenko).

Herman Galushchenko: the minister at the centre of Ukraine’s biggest wartime graft scandal

On 19 August the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) announced the operation and conducted searches. Notices of suspicion under Article 209 of the Criminal Code (legalization of property obtained by criminal means) were issued to several individuals, including former Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Iryna Mudra, former MP and businessman Maksym Mykytas, sitting MP Vadym Stolar (previously associated with the banned Opposition Platform – For Life party), Sense Bank supervisory board chairman Mykola Hladyshenko, and management board chairman Oleh Stupak.

According to investigators and materials reviewed by Suspilne and other outlets, the group allegedly gained effective control over Sense Bank accounts in early June 2026. Dirty cash was moved through shell companies (including Hiran Konstrakt, Tetras Optima, Skait Riteil, and Pelet Servis) and bank accounts – more than half of the funds reportedly passed through Sense Bank – to circumvent financial monitoring and post the reduced 150 million hryvnia bail for Halushchenko at the end of June. Halushchenko is a key figure in the earlier “Midas” investigation into a large-scale kickback scheme at the state nuclear operator Energoatom. NABU released recordings and video evidence, including discussions of cash counted in sports bags and references to moving money despite security concerns.

Graft scandal rocks Ukraine’s leadership

In the released audio, a voice attributed to Mudra discusses influence over Sense Bank managers, whom she reportedly described in dismissive terms and portrayed as seeking protection. Conversations reference instructions from unidentified high-ranking figures in the Presidential Office (and contacts linked to businessman Timur Mindich, a figure in the Midas case who left Ukraine earlier) to bring the bank under closer control so that it would “pay” rather than face pressure, with the phrase that the managers “will carry wherever they are told.” Discussions also touched on attempts to influence anti-corruption institutions. Sense Bank, the nationalized former Alfa-Bank previously linked to sanctioned Russian businessmen, confirmed it was cooperating with investigators while stressing that operations continued normally. Hladyshenko had already been suspended earlier.

President Zelenskyy dismissed Mudra from her post as deputy head of the Presidential Office (where she had overseen judicial and legal policy matters since March 2024, following earlier roles as deputy justice minister and in the banking sector) on the same day the probe was announced. Mudra has stated she submitted her resignation; she and others have indicated cooperation with investigators. Stolar confirmed searches at his premises and said he was fully cooperating. Court decisions on preventive measures are pending, and the investigation continues.

Broader political context

This latest scandal unfolds against a backdrop of mounting domestic pressure on Zelenskyy’s leadership during the ongoing war with Russia. Just days earlier, ousted Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov – a once-close ally dismissed in July after only six months in the role – issued a video address calling for a “legal, safe and realistic mechanism” to hold elections even under wartime conditions. Ukrainian law currently prohibits national elections under martial law, citing security, logistical, and participation challenges for soldiers, displaced people, and those abroad. Fedorov argued that democracy “cannot be held hostage by Russia” and framed a renewed mandate as essential for accountability and legitimacy in a prolonged conflict.

Fedorov calls for wartime elections as pressure mounts on Zelenskyy

Fedorov’s dismissal triggered protests in Kyiv and other cities demanding greater transparency. Recent polls have shown competitive figures such as former Armed Forces commander Valerii Zaluzhnyi and Fedorov himself polling strongly, reflecting public fatigue and questions over governance. The corruption probe, which reaches into the Presidential Office and a major state bank, adds to perceptions of entrenched problems even as Ukraine continues to fight for its survival and seek Western support. Anti-corruption bodies like NABU and SAPO have pursued several high-profile cases involving energy-sector schemes and officials close to the center of power, underscoring both the persistence of graft risks and the institutions’ operational independence amid wartime constraints.

The full details of the “Forrest Gump” case, including any further charges or court outcomes, remain under active investigation. Sense Bank and the implicated parties have emphasized cooperation, while the political debate over wartime democracy and accountability continues.

The article in Ukrainian by EUalive’s partner Suspilne can be found here.

Caption: Former Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Iryna Mudra. [Facebook / Iryna Mudra]