High-Profile Court Decisions in the Scheme of Embezzlement of Funds for Oncology Equipment Procurement: VACSU Upholds Preventive Measures for Another Defendant
The country continues to grapple with a large-scale corruption scheme involving the embezzlement of state funds allocated for the procurement of medical equipment for cancer patients. The Appeals Chamber of the High Anti-Corruption Court (VACSU) has confirmed the detention measures for another suspect in this high-profile case, reaffirming its commitment to combating corruption in healthcare. This decision comes shortly after VACSU made a similar ruling regarding the scheme's mastermind. According to the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO), as of July 1, 2025, the security measures—specifically bail—remained unchanged for a representative of a private company involved in the criminal group. Additionally, the suspect's obligations were amended to prohibit communication with third parties concerning the circumstances outlined in the suspicion report. Recall that on June 18, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine revealed the exposure of an extensive scheme involving employees of the National Cancer Institute. Investigations have uncovered that the accused embezzled over UAH 231 million. The Anti-Corruption Center reported that suspects included entrepreneur German Fistal, his right-hand Oksana Chulup, subordinate Yuriy Vasilenko, tender committee secretary Dmytro Kaliyushchenko, and the head of the procurement working group Bohdan Borysiuk. According to prosecutors, the leading group of medical equipment suppliers, in collusion with controlled companies and officials of the National Cancer Institute, inflated prices by at least 50%, artificially disrupting the supply chain, introducing affiliated foreign companies, altering the completeness of equipment packages, and changing entire lots to generate illicit profits at the expense of public funds, thereby harming public health systems and patients alike.