Former Deputy Prosecutor General Verbytsky Is Trying to "Undermine" the NACP's Findings in an Appeal: UA.NEWS Calls for Openness and Transparency
The editorial staff of the online media outlet UA.NEWS has appealed to Judge Oleksandr Govorun of the Sixth Administrative Court of Appeal, demanding that the case involving former Deputy Prosecutor General Dmytro Verbytskyi be conducted openly and transparently. The former official is attempting to have the court overturn the National Agency for Corruption Prevention’s (NAZK) finding, which served as the basis for an investigation into his alleged illicit enrichment.
The Essence of the Appeal and Journalistic Oversight
After the Kyiv District Administrative Court denied Verbytsky’s claim, the former official filed an appeal (Case No. 320/749/25). He is demanding that the NACP’s conclusion dated July 3, 2024—which identified signs of a corruption offense—be declared unlawful and that monitoring of his lifestyle be halted.
Journalists at UA.NEWS note that given Verbytskyi’s status and the public outcry surrounding his wealth—including luxury estates, Porsche cars, and “gangster-style” vacations—previously reported by colleagues from “Schemes” and other media outlets—the case must be heard exclusively in open court sessions.
Criminal Context
Dmytro Verbytskyi is currently at the center of several legal proceedings:
- NABU is conducting a pre-trial investigation (No. 52024000000000231) into the assets of the former prosecutor and his associates.
- The police are investigating a case under Part 3 of Article 171 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, in which Verbytsky is named as a person who may have acted in concert with others to exert pressure on the media.
Requested Information
In its submission, the editorial staff of UA.NEWS posed a series of questions to the court regarding the hearing schedule and the position of NACP representatives in this case. In particular, journalists are interested in whether the exact date and time of the public hearing on the appeal have been set, as well as who is representing the state’s (NAZK’s) interests in the proceedings and whether any objections to Verbytskyi’s complaint have been filed.
Why this matters
The editorial team believes that attempts to overturn the NACP’s conclusion are a direct attempt by the former deputy prosecutor general to evade responsibility for a “lifestyle” that does not match his official income. UA.NEWS announces that it will maintain constant journalistic oversight of this case until a final decision is reached.
“The law is the same for everyone, and the status of a former law enforcement official should not serve as a get-out-of-jail-free card,” the media outlet stated in its appeal.
A dissertation against corruption and renting from a friend: the controversial Dmytro Verbytskyi explains how he is evading mobilization and court proceedings
Instead of facing trial, the controversial former official is now calmly sipping coffee and building a political career, complaining to investigative journalists’ cameras: “I don’t live a lavish life, but I don’t live poorly either.” What’s more, it turns out that his luxurious home in the capital is simply an act of incredible friendly generosity. Commenting on the pittance he pays to rent a house in an elite cottage community, Verbytskyy looks journalists straight in the eye and assures them: “I’m renting it from a friend. Well, this isn’t a perk; these are average market rates for renting houses, uh, in this region. And this has been verified, uh, by NAZK officials.”
While the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the National Agency for Corruption Prevention (NAZK) seem to be trying to find their way to court for the third year in a row, the former law enforcement official has found a foolproof way to dodge mobilization—he’s become a graduate student and is working on his dissertation. The topic of this academic work by a man with millions in unexplained assets is simply mockingly perfect: “anti-corruption legislation.” Asserting that “I’ve been studying my whole life,” the former prosecutor—who is practically a professor already—has already outlined his plans for the future: “I want to continue working at a university and pass on my knowledge.” And he certainly has plenty to pass on—for example, a unique scheme for officially earning about $2,000 at the prosecutor’s office while receiving “birthday gifts” from relatives.
“Well, they helped out—they gave me gifts for my birthday, and that was my savings… Well, my mother could have given me $5,000,” the future luminary of science declares without a hint of embarrassment.
When the conversation turns to the origin of his family’s wealth, the classic, rock-solid legend of Ukrainian bureaucracy about wealthy relatives comes into play.
“My father was a captain on a long-haul ship. I think you understand how much a long-haul ship captain earns. Well, starting at $10,000 a month,” Verbytsky boasts. But for some reason, he refused to brag about his new Audi SQ8 worth 100 thousand greenbacks on camera, instantly switching to a tone of aggressive defense:
“Look, this car is registered in my name. You can look it up online. If you want, I’ll come to your studio, I’ll give you an interview, I’ll show you the documents. Show me the questions you want to ask. I’ll answer them. I’ll show you the documents. Conduct the interview objectively. I don’t like provocations like the one you’re pulling right now.” Verbytskyi now plans to scale up all this “anti-corruption” success in the world of big-time politics—he has taken the helm of the district branch of Yulia Tymoshenko’s party. However, even here the logic has gone out the window, because, in the words of the newly minted party member himself: “As of today, whether to go into politics or not—I’m not, let’s say, fully ready to go into politics yet. I am currently a party member and serve as the head of the branch in the Khadzhibeyevsky District. No, I do not sponsor the party.”
Under what exact conditions “Batkivshchyna” took in such a toxic figure remains an open question. For now, Dmytro Anatoliyovych feels so confident and immune from consequences that, instead of sitting in the dock, he’s attacking law enforcement officials himself: “I am currently in a legal battle with the NACP, since the NACP clearly stated in a publication that they found evidence of illicit enrichment on my part, that they identified the elements of a crime, and that all of this was acquired on my instructions.”
The former prosecutor actively flaunts his legal battles on Facebook, personally racking up hundreds of reposts under his own posts to create the illusion of support. However, the public does not find this amusing at all, because behind the facade of these absurd justifications and partisan manipulations, a sad reality is clearly evident: the Verbytsky case may simply be being deliberately and artificially stalled behind the scenes by anti-corruption agencies.
It recently came to light that former Deputy Prosecutor General Dmytro Verbytskyi, who left his post amid scandal following investigations into illegal enrichment, has officially launched his political career. The Odesa regional branch of the “Batkivshchyna” All-Ukrainian Union, in response to a request from UA.News, confirmed that Verbytskyi is already a member of Yulia Tymoshenko’s party.
