Judge Haynatsky “sided with” Verbytsky: The NACP was ordered to remove all data on his high net worth and relevant information regarding the criminal proceedings
The Pechersky District Court of Kyiv ruled in favor of former Deputy Prosecutor General of Ukraine Dmytro Verbytskyi, granting his lawsuit against the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (NAZK).
The case was heard by Judge Yevhen Khainatsky, who effectively blocked public access to the findings of the investigation into the former official’s assets. In its ruling, the court ordered the NACP to remove from its official website, within five days, information regarding the findings of illegal enrichment totaling nearly 29 million hryvnias attributed to Verbytsky, and to publish an official retraction.
What the Court “Forgot” to Consider: The NACP’s Position
During the court proceedings, NACP representatives emphasized that they act strictly within the framework of current legislation and inform the public about high-profile cases involving officials’ assets. Based on the results of monitoring Verbytskyi’s lifestyle, the Agency identified a number of luxury assets acquired by individuals associated with him:
- LEXUS ES 300H, LEXUS NX 300H, and PORSCHE MACAN T vehicles;
- a luxury home with a land plot in Kyiv valued at 16.3 million UAH;
- a house and plot of land in Odesa valued at 10 million UAH;
- an apartment and a plot of land in Antalya (Turkey) valued at 3.9 million UAH;
- over 2 million UAH in cash and Tether (USDT) cryptocurrency, the legality of the origin of which has not been proven.
However, Judge Khainatsky rejected the anti-corruption agency’s arguments regarding the public interest and Verbytsky’s status as a public figure who should explain the origin of his assets.
A Legal Loophole for the Former Official
The formal basis for granting the claim was purely procedural. The court found that since, with regard to Verbytsky, there is currently no final and binding criminal conviction, the NACP’s allegations of a “corruption-related criminal offense” and “illegal enrichment” violate the presumption of innocence.
In addition, the court relied on a private linguistic analysis provided by Verbytsky’s side and concluded that the NACP’s publication did not contain evaluative judgments or criticism, but rather “categorical factual assertions.”
As a result, the Pechersk Court fully “sided with” the former controversial high-ranking prosecutor’s office official, forcing the NACP to “remove” references to his millions in assets from its website. The NACP still has the right to file an appeal with the Kyiv Court of Appeals.
As a reminder, in May 2026, the National Agency for Corruption Prevention published the results of a comprehensive review of the 2023 asset declaration filed by former Deputy Prosecutor General Dmytro Verbytskyi. The agency’s findings were unfavorable for the former official and effectively refuted his public statements regarding the lawful origin of his assets and the absence of any claims by anti-corruption authorities.
Based on the audit results, the NACP identified indications of two possible violations. First, Verbytsky’s declaration contained inaccurate information totaling more than 2.3 million hryvnias. Second, the agency documented signs of illicit enrichment totaling more than 30.2 million hryvnias, the origin of which is not substantiated by the official income of the official himself or his close associates.
The findings of the audit were forwarded to the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and incorporated into the criminal proceedings opened regarding the former prosecutor’s possible illicit enrichment. Due to the ongoing pre-trial investigation, the NACP declined to disclose details regarding specific assets that were the subject of the audit, citing the requirements of the law on investigative secrecy.
A complete chronology of the scandals involving former Deputy Prosecutor General Dmytro Verbytskyi of Odesa can be found here.
