Ukraine’s ex-energy minister charged with corruption after attempt to flee

KYIV — Ukraine’s state anti-corruption agencies on Monday charged former Energy Minister German Galushchenko with money laundering and taking part in a criminal organization, a day after he was arrested at the Ukrainian border during an attempt to flee the country.

The crackdown is part of the ongoing Operation Midas, which is investigating the $100 million corruption plot in Ukraine’s state nuclear energy sector that rocked the inner circle of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last year.

According to the National Anti-Сorruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), Galushchenko and his family members became investors in a fictitious investment fund, created to launder the $100 million siphoned out of Ukrainian state nuclear energy company Energoatom.

“To conceal his involvement, two companies were created in the Marshall Islands, integrated into the structure of a trust registered in Saint Kitts and Nevis. The high-ranking official’s ex-wife and four children were registered as beneficiaries of the companies,” NABU said in a statement Monday.

NABU did not name Galushchenko directly, but described him as Ukraine’s energy minister in 2021-2025 in its official communication about the case. Galushchenko was the only energy minister serving from 2021 until July 2025.

Detectives, with the help of anti-corruption authorities from 13 countries, established that money was transferred out of the fund to accounts in Swiss banks.

 “Over $7.4 million was transferred to the accounts of the fund, which was managed by the suspect’s family. Another over 1.3 million Swiss francs and 2.4 million euros were issued in cash and transferred directly to the family in Switzerland,” NABU said.

“Some of these funds were spent on paying for the children’s education in prestigious institutions in Switzerland and were placed in the accounts of his ex-wife. The rest was placed on a deposit, from which the family of the high-ranking official received additional income and spent it on their own needs,” the detectives added.

Galushchenko was not available for comment, but he earlier denied wrongdoing during the special investigation commission meeting in the Ukrainian parliament in January.

Parliament dismissed Galushchenko from his recent post as justice minister in November as the corruption probe snowballed.