The Carthage Case: The VAKS Appeals Chamber Upholds Muza's Detention
The Appeals Chamber of the High Anti-Corruption Court upheld the pretrial detention order for 24-year-old Yelyzaveta Ivakhnenko, whom the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) identified as “Musa” in recordings released as part of Operation “Carthage.” She will remain in custody with the option to post bail in the amount of 20 million hryvnias.
Yelyzaveta Ivakhnenko’s attorneys requested that the trial court’s decision be overturned and that the pretrial measure be denied.
As an alternative, the defense proposed round-the-clock house arrest with the use of an electronic ankle monitor.
However, the Appeals Chamber of the High Anti-Corruption Court found no grounds to overturn the trial court’s decision and upheld it.
Thus, Ivakhnenko will remain in custody, and bail of 20 million hryvnias remains the only alternative.
Yelyzaveta Ivakhnenko is a 24-year-old resident of Odesa whom the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) identified as “Musa” in materials released as part of Operation “Carthage.”
According to the investigation, Ivakhnenko was close to Serhiy Kropiva, who is referred to as “the Chancellor” in the case files.
Serhiy Kropiva is the head of one of the departments of the Office of the Prosecutor General. NABU and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) suspect him of establishing a criminal organization which, according to the investigation, systematically received bribes from fraudulent call centers and laundered over 89.9 million hryvnias obtained through criminal means.
At the same time, these circumstances represent the investigation’s version of events, and the suspects’ guilt must be proven in court.
As part of the investigation, law enforcement officials took an interest in luxury items and property linked to Serhiy Kropiva’s inner circle.
In particular, journalists identified a 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE 350 in the possession of Yelyzaveta Ivakhnenko, which, according to the data provided, was purchased in 2025 for approximately $60,000.
On September 15, the Appeals Chamber of the High Anti-Corruption Court (VAKS) left Yelyzaveta Ivakhnenko’s pretrial measure unchanged for this stage of the proceedings.
This became known during the court hearing on September 15.
Those implicated in the “Carthage” fraudulent call center case were promptly informed that searches were planned at their locations. In addition, they may have received information from the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) regarding surveillance of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO).
Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko reported that he is abroad on an official business trip.
The Anti-Corruption Action Center claimed that Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko allegedly left Ukraine after signing the notice of suspicion against NABU Director Semen Kryvonos. The Anti-Corruption Center claims that this may have been done in exchange for permission to leave the country.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office have denied Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko’s statements regarding the alleged indictment of NABU Director Semen Kryvonos and offers of immunity.
