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“Gas case” of former MP Oleksandr Onyshchenko

  • Date of commencement of the case: 22/10/2019
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“Gas case” of former MP Oleksandr Onyshchenko “Gas case” of former MP Oleksandr Onyshchenko

Case description

Former MP Oleksandr Onyshchenko is accused of organizing the scheme to embezzle UAH 740 million in gas purchases at reduced prices. Onyshchenko is hiding abroad and faces 15 years of imprisonment.

Oleksandr Onyshchenko is a former MP and former deputy chair of the Verkhovna Rada's Fuel Committee. His case is one of the most high-profile in the NABU's work, and its investigation began in 2015.

Detectives believe that in 2013–2016, Onyshchenko organized the scheme to sell Ukrgazvydobuvannya's gas to his companies on fake exchanges at reduced prices. The latter sold gas to consumers at market prices, while operating on the price difference scheme, which amounted to UAH 1.6 billion. As a result, Ukrgasvydobuvannya suffered more than UAH 740 million in losses.

The scheme included 29 people—co-organizers, employees of Ukrgazvydobuvannya, lawyers, financiers, and other officials. In particular, the case involves former head of the State Fiscal Service Roman Nasirov, Kharkiv judge Tetiana Denysiuk, Onyshchenko’s mother Inesa Kadyrova, and Valerii Postnyi (the latter two are co-organizers). 

Onyshchenko is also accused of organizing the scheme to unjustifiably defer tax debts for companies under his control, which resulted in the state losing UAH 2 billion. Total losses as a result of all criminal actions are estimated at about UAH 3 billion.

 

In 2016, the former MP left Ukraine and was hiding from justice in Spain and Germany. In the latter, he was detained, but later extradition to Ukraine was denied and the accused was denied political asylum. The former MP confirmed that he had Russian citizenship. In January 2021, the United States put Onyshchenko on a sanctions list for a possible attempt to interfere in the presidential election.

Onyshchenko is charged with creating a criminal organization that allegedly included 29 people, together with whom he allegedly seized UAH 740 million in natural gas purchases at reduced prices between 2013 and 2016. In addition, Onyshchenko was charged with forgery, money laundering, and illegal handling of weapons.

The HACC sentenced Onyshchenko in absentia to 15 years of imprisonment with confiscation of property, and his financial director Olena Pavlenko to 12 years of imprisonment. The sentence refers to the confiscation of the following assets as punishment:

- three land plots with a total area of ​​60,000 square meters, located in the city of Ukrainka, Kyiv region;

- a land plot in the village of Kozyn in Obukhiv district of Kyiv region and real estate on it;

- a MERCEDES-BENZ S 500L 4MATIC car;

- corporate rights of KHAS COMPANY LLC, TOP UKRAINE LLC, OLIMPIK Equestrian Sports Complex LLC, NATURAL RESOURCES + LLC;

- corporate rights in an authorized capital;

- funds on accounts at PJSC Diamant Bank, CB PRIVATBANK, LAS Trasta komercbanka (Republic of Latvia), as well as in a Russian bank;

- hunting rifle and jewelry.

The following will be subject to special forfeiture:

- corporate rights in the authorized capital of KHAS COMPANY LLC;

- funds in the amount of USD 7,369.91 in AS PrivatBank (Republic of Latvia) of the company Ostexpert Limited;

- corporate rights of the company Fastilo Traiding LTD;

- non-residential premises with a total area of ​​535.00 square meters on Khreshchatyk in Kyiv;

- funds in the amount of USD 600,000 (they have already been recovered into state ownership).

  • Proceeding No.: 42015110000000121
  • Case No.: 757/7845/19-к show all cases hide other cases
  • Other court cases No.: 760/675/16-к, 991/1325/19, 760/10191/18, 760/10190/18, 991/871/22
  • Incriminated: Article 191, part 5, Article 364, part 2, Article 364-1, part 2, Article 368, part 4, Article 209, part 3, Article 366, part 1, Article 263, part 1
Instance Key parties Instance /Key parties:
HACC AC
21/08/2024

Panel of judges: Bodnar S.B.

CCC
08/07/2024

Panel of judges: Marynych V.K.

HACC AC
29/01/2021

Panel of judges: Pavlyshyn O.F., Bodnar S.B.

HACC
22/10/2019

Panel of judges: Fedorak L.M., Mykhailenko V.V., Halabala M.V., Strohyi I.L., Maslov V.V.

Lawyer: Ishchenka O.B., Ivashchenka Yu.I., Zhyvotova O.M., Markevych V.Ya., Mahei I.V., Paramonovoi O.Yu.

Prosecutor: Perov A.V., Symkiv R.Ya., Malyk O.I.

Infographics

“GAS CASE” OF OLEKSANDR ONYSHCHENKO

Onyshchenko, fugitive ex-MP of Ukraine, was sentenced to 15 years in prison in absentia for organizing a scheme to purchase gas from the state at discounted prices. Damages are estimated at UAH 740 million.

 

  • January 2013–June 2016
    Onyshchenko created a criminal organization, whose members allegedly illegally reduced the cost of natural gas sales by more than UAH 1.6 billion
  • July 5, 2016
    The Verkhovna Rada exempted Onyshchenko from parliamentary immunity, who was no longer in Ukraine at the time
  • pic
    July 27, 2016
    Prosecutor General Lutsenko signed a suspicion notice against Onyshchenko, which was passed on to his friends and lawyers
  • August 8, 2016
    Onyshchenko was put on the national wanted list
  • May 3, 2017
    Interpol refused to put Onyshchenko on the international wanted list
  • May 27, 2020
    The court in Germany refused to extradite Onyshchenko
  • January 11, 2021
    The United States put Onyshchenko and 6 other Ukrainians on the sanctions list for possible interference in the presidential election
  • October 28, 2021
    Onyshchenko announced that he had received Russian citizenship to participate in equestrian competitions as a member of the Russian national team
  • December 30, 2021
    The HACC seized a stable in Germany linked to former MP
  • October 10, 2023
    The judges entered the deliberation room to deliver the verdict
  • November 14, 2023
    the judges returned from the deliberation room because they could not open certain evidence, so they asked the prosecutor to resubmit it
  • pic
    April 5, 2024
    The HACC sentenced Onyshchenko and Pavlenko to 15 and 12 years in prison with deprivation of the right to hold positions and confiscation of property.

Decisions from the Register

Case No. Court Decision date Decision type
757/7845/19-к HACC 22/10/2019 On the appointment of a preparatory court hearing
760/675/16-к HACC AC 23/10/2019
760/675/16-к HACC AC 23/10/2019
760/675/16-к HACC AC 23/10/2019
757/7845/19-к HACC 01/11/2019
757/7845/19-к HACC 01/11/2019
991/1325/19 HACC 04/11/2019
991/1325/19 HACC 04/11/2019
757/7845/19-к HACC 08/11/2019
757/7845/19-к HACC 08/11/2019
760/10191/18 HACC AC 11/11/2019
760/10190/18 HACC AC 11/11/2019
757/7845/19-к HACC 13/11/2019
757/7845/19-к HACC 13/11/2019
757/7845/19-к HACC 13/11/2019
757/7845/19-к HACC 13/11/2019
757/7845/19-к HACC 18/11/2019
757/7845/19-к HACC 18/11/2019
757/7845/19-к HACC 18/11/2019
757/7845/19-к HACC 18/11/2019
760/675/16-к HACC AC 19/11/2019
757/7845/19-к HACC 25/11/2019
757/7845/19-к HACC 25/11/2019
757/7845/19-к HACC 27/12/2019
757/7845/19-к HACC 27/12/2019
757/7845/19-к HACC 17/01/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 21/01/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 21/01/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 23/01/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 23/01/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 23/01/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 21/04/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 05/05/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 05/05/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 12/05/2020 On the appointment of a trial
757/7845/19-к HACC 12/05/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 12/05/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 12/05/2020 Decision on closing the criminal proceedings
757/7845/19-к HACC 12/05/2020 On the appointment of a trial
757/7845/19-к HACC 13/05/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 13/05/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 13/05/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 13/05/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 14/05/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 14/05/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 20/05/2020 Decision on closing the criminal proceedings
757/7845/19-к HACC 27/05/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 27/05/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 08/07/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 08/07/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 10/07/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 10/07/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 23/07/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 23/07/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 24/07/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 24/07/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 31/07/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 07/09/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 07/09/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 16/09/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 16/09/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 15/10/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 15/10/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 22/10/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 22/10/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 27/11/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 27/11/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 01/12/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 01/12/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 09/12/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 09/12/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 10/12/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 11/12/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC 11/12/2020
757/7845/19-к HACC AC 29/01/2021 On the refusal to open appeal proceedings
757/7845/19-к HACC 08/04/2021
757/7845/19-к HACC 08/04/2021
757/7845/19-к HACC 30/06/2021
757/7845/19-к HACC 30/06/2021
757/7845/19-к HACC 10/09/2021
757/7845/19-к HACC 10/09/2021
757/7845/19-к HACC 19/10/2021
757/7845/19-к HACC 19/10/2021
757/7845/19-к HACC 16/12/2021
757/7845/19-к HACC 22/12/2021
757/7845/19-к HACC 23/12/2021
757/7845/19-к HACC 23/12/2021
757/7845/19-к HACC 19/01/2022
757/7845/19-к HACC 03/02/2022
757/7845/19-к HACC 07/02/2022
991/871/22 HACC 14/02/2022
757/7845/19-к HACC 04/04/2022
757/7845/19-к HACC 07/04/2022
757/7845/19-к HACC 27/04/2022
757/7845/19-к HACC 27/04/2022
757/7845/19-к HACC 05/07/2022 Decision on temporary access
757/7845/19-к HACC 05/07/2022 Decision on temporary access
757/7845/19-к HACC 06/07/2022
757/7845/19-к HACC 06/07/2022
757/7845/19-к HACC 08/11/2022
757/7845/19-к HACC 08/11/2022
757/7845/19-к HACC 13/12/2022 On the imposition of an interim measure in the form of detention
757/7845/19-к HACC 13/12/2022 On the imposition of an interim measure in the form of detention
757/7845/19-к HACC 30/01/2023
757/7845/19-к HACC 23/02/2023
757/7845/19-к HACC 14/03/2023
757/7845/19-к HACC 04/07/2023
757/7845/19-к HACC 01/08/2023
757/7845/19-к HACC 05/04/2024 Verdicts
757/7845/19-к HACC AC 13/05/2024 Opening of appeal proceedings
757/7845/19-к HACC AC 13/05/2024 On the return of the appeal
757/7845/19-к HACC AC 23/05/2024
757/7845/19-к CCC 08/07/2024 On the opening of cassation proceedings
757/7845/19-к CCC 10/07/2024
757/7845/19-к HACC AC 21/08/2024 Opening of appeal proceedings
757/7845/19-к HACC AC 21/08/2024 Opening of appeal proceedings
757/7845/19-к CCC 19/11/2024
757/7845/19-к HACC AC 20/11/2024 Opening of appeal proceedings
757/7845/19-к HACC AC 20/11/2024 Opening of appeal proceedings