Over $30 million in unexplained assets and false statements in his financial disclosure form: The National Agency for Corruption Prevention (NAZK) has released the results of its investigation into former Deputy Prosecutor General Verbytsky
The National Agency for Corruption Prevention (NACP) has responded to a media inquiry regarding the results of an asset verification of former Deputy Prosecutor General Dmytro Verbytskyi. The agency’s official documents completely refute the former official’s public statements regarding the alleged “cleanliness” of his assets and the existence of any “international audits.”
The hard facts of the audit of Dmytro Verbytskyi: discrepancies amounting to millions
According to the agency’s response, anti-corruption officials completed a full audit of the former top prosecutor’s amended annual declaration for 2023 and compiled an official report. The results of this audit were diametrically opposed to the public statements the former official had made in the press.
The documents document two key violations:
- False information in the declaration: The NACP officially determined that the former official’s report contained inaccurate information. The amount of the “discrepancy” between the actual facts and what was written on paper is 2,379,310 hryvnias. This is punishable under the provision regarding the declaration of false information (Part 1 of Article 366-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
- Illegal enrichment: Another finding proved to be much more serious. The anti-corruption agency found clear signs of illicit enrichment (Article 368-5 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). We are talking about a colossal sum—30,266,502 hryvnias—the origin of which the official and his family cannot explain based on their official income.
Where did the materials go, and what about the secrecy of the investigation?
Anti-corruption investigators officially forwarded all the collected evidence, substantiated conclusions, and materials from the full audit of Verbytsky to the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU). NABU detectives added these documents to the materials of the relevant criminal proceeding, and they are currently part of the investigation.
Because the case has moved into the criminal realm, most of the journalists’ detailed questions (in particular, regarding the luxury apartment in Turkey and the sources of funds for its purchase) are currently blocked by the secrecy of the investigation. The agency explained that disclosing details of a pre-trial investigation without the written permission of a detective or prosecutor is prohibited by law, and as of now, they do not have such permission.
The story of a subordinate’s “revenge” and the Register of Corrupt Officials
In their inquiry, the journalists specifically asked for clarification regarding an agency employee whom Verbytsky had publicly accused of “personal revenge” and hinted at his corrupt past.
The agency’s response was terse but telling: the employee in question was indeed listed in the Unified State Register of Corrupt Officials, but had been officially removed from it back in November 2022 in accordance with applicable regulations. Thus, the former Deputy Prosecutor General’s attempts to dismiss the negative audit findings as a “set-up” by a discredited inspector lack legal grounds—the audit was conducted by a current and legitimate internal control unit.
In Conclusion
The official document from the anti-corruption agency puts an end to former prosecutor Dmytro Verbytskyi’s media attempts to “whitewash” his own reputation with stories about his father, a captain, and 15 mysterious international audits that he allegedly provided to someone. Instead of these fabricated audits, the actual case involves official findings regarding 30 million hryvnias obtained illegally, which are now being investigated by NABU detectives. Despite the fact that Verbytsky is already building a political career within the ranks of a well-known political party, the legal baggage from his “prosecutorial past” is becoming increasingly burdensome.
As a reminder, the editorial staff of the online media outlet UA.NEWS received official confirmation that former Deputy Prosecutor General Dmytro Verbytskyi, who is a subject of NABU investigations into illegal enrichment, has become a member of the political party “All-Ukrainian Union ‘Batkivshchyna.’” In this regard, journalists sent a request to party leader Yulia Tymoshenko asking her to explain the ethical criteria for selecting allies, particularly potential corrupt officials.
