Krupa's attorneys tried to have the judge recused from the case: how did that attempt turn out?
Judge Denis Kovalenko did not meet with the defense attorneys for the family of the defendants from Khmelnytskyi. Today, the High Anti-Corruption Court denied a motion filed by the attorneys representing the family of Tetyana Krupa, the former head of the Khmelnytskyi Regional Medical and Social Expert Commission (MSEK), to recuse Judge Denys Kovalenko, who had been assigned to hear the high-profile case. The defense complained about Judge Kovalenko, claiming that he had allegedly restricted their procedural rights.
Krupa’s lawyers also had complaints about the judge’s conduct. Therefore, while the issue of recusal was being decided, the defense insisted on reviewing the audio and video recordings of the previous hearing to verify the circumstances they had cited.
In addition, one of the defense attorneys reported that prior to the preparatory hearing, he had filed a motion with the Appeals Chamber of the High Anti-Corruption Court requesting a change in the court’s jurisdiction over the case. This relates to the desire of one of the defendants—specifically, Tetiana Krupa’s son, Oleksandr—to attempt to transfer the case from the Anti-Corruption Court to another court. Since no final decision on the appeal has been made yet, the attorney asked Judge Kovalenko to postpone the preliminary hearing. However, he refused. This fact also served as grounds for a motion to recuse the judge.
On September 25, VAKS Judge Oksana Hutsal reviewed the recusal request. Since the motion for recusal was not granted, Judge Denys Kovalenko will once again preside over the review of the indictment.
It should be noted that the defendants Tetyana Krupa, Volodymyr Krupa, and Oleksandr Krupa did not appear at today’s hearing. As it became known, they requested that the proceedings take place without their participation and authorized their attorneys to represent their interests. The prosecutor from the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office also did not attend the hearing. The High Anti-Corruption Court will hear Oleksandr Krupa’s motion on September 28.
Earlier, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office filed an indictment against the three family members with the court. According to the investigation, between 2020 and 2024, Tetiana Krupa illegally enriched herself by approximately 160 million hryvnias. NABU claims that she involved her husband and son in the scheme.
The investigation believes that Krupa laundered part of the funds through fictitious real estate sales. Subsequently, with her husband’s assistance, the money was transferred abroad and deposited into accounts at foreign banks. This refers to the period when Krupa headed the public healthcare institution “Khmelnytskyi Regional Center for Medical and Social Expertise” and served as a deputy of the Khmelnytskyi Regional Council.
A separate criminal case concerns Krupa’s daughter-in-law, Kateryna. The court is considering an indictment against her under the charge of providing false information in her financial disclosure statement. According to the State Bureau of Investigations, the former Ministry of Justice official failed to declare $540,000 in an account at an Austrian bank.
This was reported by Glavkom.
The trial of a symbol of corruption at the Medical and Social Expertise Center (MSEC) has begun; Tetyana Krupa awaits her verdict.
As a reminder, Tetyana Krupa, the former head of the Khmelnytskyi Regional Center for Medical and Social Expertise, who is suspected of illicit enrichment, filed her 2025 asset declaration. Despite being under investigation and the public outcry surrounding the case, the document shows a further increase in her family’s wealth.
Krupa is free to move about the country—the court extended her release on bail for two months.
Krupa, the controversial former head of the Khmelnytskyi Regional Medical and Social Examination Center, declared millions in cash.
