The Supreme Court confirmed the verdict of former Deputy Minister Grimchak: 10 years in prison and confiscation of property
May 26, 2025, Kyiv – The Supreme Court of Ukraine has issued a final ruling in the case of former Deputy Minister for Temporarily Occupied Territories, Yuriy Grimchak, finding him guilty of fraud and inciting an illegal scheme to obtain unlawful benefits. As a result, the panel of judges upheld the decision of the Criminal Cassation Court dated April 29, 2025, which sentenced the former official to 10 years in prison with confiscation of all his property. This final decision marked the conclusion of the legal proceedings in this high-profile case, which has long attracted public attention and oversight from anti-corruption agencies. Sources: Official press center of the Supreme Court and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office. Details on the circumstances: On April 29, 2025, the Criminal Cassation Court, reviewing appeals, confirmed the legality of the decision made by the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) on February 23, 2022, and the verdict of the HACC Appeals Panel on December 19, 2023, regarding Yuriy Grimchak. The former official was found guilty of committing fraudulent actions and attempting to incite others to provide unlawful benefits, which are considered high-degree corruption offenses. According to court materials, Grimchak, in conspiracy with a person who later passed away, acted in collusion to obtain an unlawful benefit exceeding one million US dollars. Investigators state that he promised a representative of one limited liability company to influence officials holding responsible positions to facilitate the issuance of permits for the construction and reconstruction of a market within a protected zone, as well as to recover a debt through court proceedings with another company. Allegedly, Grimchak received the promised funds for this scheme; however, the case was classified as fraud because these actions were aimed at personal gain through abuse of official position. Yuriy Grimchak, who was convicted, was detained several years ago as part of a broader anti-corruption operation, which attracted significant public resonance. According to investigators, other individuals were involved in the case, but the last member of this network—the brother of Grimchak’s wife, Ihor Ovdienko—died during the pre-trial investigation, complicating the proof of guilt. Importantly, investigators established that during the transfer of unlawful benefits, scheme participants coordinated their efforts to assist in resolving two main issues: obtaining permits for reconstructing market facilities and recovering debts through legal proceedings. These schemes involved nearly one million US dollars, which, according to investigators, could be obtained and redistributed. The verdict of the Supreme Court is final and non-appealable—there is no possibility to challenge the decision in this case. Preparation for the public announcement of the full text of the resolution is underway, scheduled for May 5, 2025. The document will detail all circumstances of the criminal proceedings as well as the court’s motives. This case stands out not only for its high resonance but also for the scale of corruption activities, which, according to investigators, could have affected many construction projects in the capital and surrounding regions. The investigation into Grimchak’s case lasted several years and became one of the most high-profile corruption cases in Ukraine recently. It should be noted that investigators also allege that those involved around Grimchak attempted to use their official positions for large-scale personal gain, verified by gathered evidence. Commentators suggest that the Supreme Court’s final decision effectively puts an end to this case, providing society with a guarantee of the rule of law and intolerance towards corruption crimes. Sources: Official information from the Supreme Court and the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office of Ukraine. Note: For more details on the circumstances and the full text of the ruling in case No. 991/4110/20, proceedings No. 51-1490km24, the document is expected after its public announcement on May 5, 2025.