The Verbytsky Case vs. the National Agency for Corruption Prevention (NAZK): UA.NEWS Asks the Sixth Court of Appeals to Respond to the Editorial Board’s Official Requests
Former Deputy Prosecutor General Dmytro Verbytskyi, who became “notorious” for his illicit enrichment, luxury estates, cars, and his costly relationship with Khrystyna Ilnytska, is tirelessly attempting to use the Court of Appeals to overturn the National Agency for Corruption Prevention’s (NAZK) findings regarding his corruption offenses.
For its part, the editorial staff of the online media outlet UA.NEWS continues to provide journalistic oversight of the court proceedings and investigations involving the scandal-plagued prosecutor.
Following a series of high-profile media investigations into the acquisition of luxury real estate (including a half-million-dollar estate in the “Konik” complex, a business center in Odesa, and luxury cars and property owned by his associates), Dmytro Verbytskyi resigned from his position in the summer of 2024.
However, as the UA.NEWS editorial team has discovered, the former official is currently actively attempting to legally “nullify” the findings of the investigations into his life.
Legal wrangling and a rejection by the Administrative Court
On July 3, 2024, the National Agency for Corruption Prevention (NACP) issued a conclusion stating that Dmytro Verbytsky’s actions showed signs of a criminal corruption offense and also monitored his lifestyle.
Disagreeing with this, Verbytsky filed a lawsuit with the Kyiv District Administrative Court (KDAC), demanding that the NACP’s conclusion be declared unlawful and overturned, and that the Agency’s actions regarding the monitoring of his assets be declared unlawful (Case No. 320/749/25).
On February 25, 2026, the KCAAD dismissed Verbytsky’s lawsuit in its entirety. This did not deter the former prosecutor, and on the same day he filed an appeal. On April 2, 2026, the Sixth Administrative Court of Appeal opened appellate proceedings (case No. A/855/11417/26).
Journalistic inquiry to the Sixth Court of Appeals
The UA.NEWS editorial team believes that such attempts by a former official to evade responsibility must remain under public scrutiny, and that the case must be heard openly and transparently. In this regard, UA.NEWS journalists submitted another official inquiry addressed to the judge of the Sixth Administrative Court of Appeal, requesting information on: whether a date and time have been set for the hearing of Verbytskyi’s appeal (specifically, in written proceedings); whether the case materials for Case No. 320/749/25 have already been received from the Kyiv District Administrative Court; and whether new statements, objections, and the position of NACP representatives regarding Verbytsky’s appeal have been added to the case.
It should be noted that this is not the first inquiry from the media: the court provided a preliminary response in May, however, subsequent follow-up requests from the editorial office dated June 24 and July 17 remained unanswered as of September, prompting journalists to once again remind the court of the requirements of the Ukrainian laws “On Access to Public Information” and “On the Media.”
Other Criminal Cases Involving Verbytsky
The attempt to overturn the NACP’s decision in court is just one part of Verbytskyi’s broader legal troubles: NABU is conducting a pre-trial investigation in criminal proceeding No. 52024000000000231 dated May 13, 2024, under Article 368-5 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal enrichment of D. A. Verbytskyi and his associates). Meanwhile, the Odesa District Police Department No. 1 is investigating criminal case No. 120251644800002020 dated April 22, 2025, under Part 3 of Article 171 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (obstruction of the lawful professional activities of journalists, committed by a group of persons acting in concert), in which Verbitsky, along with his accomplices, is named as a suspect.
The UA.NEWS editorial team will continue to keep the public informed about every stage of the court proceedings in the Verbytsky case until final and lawful decisions are reached.
As a reminder, UA.NEWS journalists have linked Verbytsky to the logistics business at the Pivdennyi Port. There are suspicions that a scheme was in place there: ships carrying cargo were detained under fabricated pretexts, and $100,000 or more was demanded for a “quick resolution of the issue.” It is precisely such schemes that could have been the real source of funds for the purchase of the Porsche and the Turkish apartment.
As a reminder, instead of facing trial, the controversial former official is now calmly drinking 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.”
