Case description
Former MP Mykola Martynenko is accused of receiving a bribe of EUR 311,500 and legalization of these funds. The investigation revealed that Martynenko had received money from the Czech company Skoda for promoting its interests in Ukraine.
According to the prosecution, Martynenko, at that time heading the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Fuel and Energy Complex, Nuclear Policy and Nuclear Safety, received a bribe from the Czech company SKODA JS a.s. The latter is part of the United Machine-Building Plants holding, which belongs to Russia's Gazprombank.
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In particular, Martynenko had to take care of relations with the state-owned enterprises Energoatom and Chornobyl NPP, with which Skoda had contracts for the supply of equipment, but there was a risk of non-payment by Ukrainian partners. In a letter dated August 1, 2014, Martynenko, on behalf of the Committee, asked to ensure adequate financing of the project of manufacturing a container car for the transportation of spent nuclear fuel from the Chornobyl NPP.
The bribe was disguised as payment for agency services under a cooperation agreement between Skoda and a Cypriot company affiliated with Martynenko. The received funds were legalized through a series of transactions involving offshore, after which they ended up in the account of another Cypriot firm of Martynenko. The money was spent on education, recreation, renting housing abroad, and other personal needs of the MP and his family.
Mykola Martynenko is charged with Art. 209, part 2; Art. 368, part 4 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. In addition, the former MP is accused in two more cases—the conversion of funds of the state-owned enterprises Eastern Mining and Processing Plant and Energoatom.
