Case description
The NABU is investigating a case concerning the incitement of a business owner to provide a bribe in the amount of USD 250,000 for the alleged imposition of sanctions by the NSDC against a competing company. The case involves Member of Parliament Anna Skorokhod, her assistant Serhii Kapatsyn, and their alleged accomplice, Stavenko.
According to the investigation, the MP allegedly headed an organized criminal group. The suspects allegedly persuaded a representative of a private company that they had the ability to arrange for NSDC sanctions to be imposed on a competing company and demanded USD 250,000 in return.
The pretrial investigation authorities released video recordings capturing conversations about the bribe. The investigation states that the business owner was forced to sign a receipt indicating that he had allegedly borrowed the money. In this way, the suspects allegedly sought to protect themselves.
NABU also reported that when the business owner transferred part of the amount, USD 125,000, he was assured that the money would be passed on to NSDC officials. However, no money was ultimately transferred to NSDC members or other officials. According to the pretrial investigation authorities, the suspects failed to find any person willing to commit the illegal actions.
The defense, in turn, insists that the MP is not involved in the crime and that the notice of suspicion is unfounded.
During the court hearing on the motion to impose an interim measure, the MP herself stated that on December 6, one day before the searches and the service of the notice of suspicion, she was scheduled to depart for the United States on a working trip. Accordingly, she argued that the case constitutes political pressure against her as a Member of Parliament.
The actions of the suspects were classified under Article 27(4) and Article 369(4) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
Anna Skorokhod was elected to the Verkhovna Rada in 2019. She is a member of the parliamentary committee on energy and housing and utility services.
In November 2019, the MP accused the authorities of detaining her husband, Oleksii Aliakin. Skorokhod claimed that this occurred due to her voting contrary to the position of the Servant of the People faction. In turn, faction head Davyd Arakhamia stated that the faction was not involved. He also said that Skorokhod had repeatedly offered MPs “financial assistance” and initiated her expulsion from the faction.
After being expelled from the Servant of the People faction, Skorokhod joined the For the Future parliamentary group.
Anna Skorokhod’s name also appeared in the so-called “Mindich tapes,” which mentioned a request to prepare parliamentary inquiries with her participation. During the consideration of an interim measure for one of the suspects in the Midas case, the prosecutor stated that the suspects discussed drafting parliamentary inquiries, and in this context mentioned Anna Skorokhod and MP Serhii Nahorniak.
Both MPs stated that they had not submitted any inquiries on behalf of the suspects in that case and were unaware of them.
The context of these events, as well as other facts about Anna Skorokhod and her husband, a businessman, were presented in a video by Suspilne News.
