Scandal Involving Ferrari and Shadow Assets: Former Defense Official Faces Suspicion for Falsified Declarations and Possible Corruption Schemes
In a recent scandal shaking Ukraine’s defense sector, a former high-ranking official of a state enterprise under the Ministry of Defense is under investigation for allegedly developing and implementing a large-scale scheme involving tax evasion and illegal import of a supercar, Ferrari Roma.
According to available data, this 2020 model became the most expensive vehicle imported into the country during the period of the so-called ‘zero customs clearance’ — a regulation that was active during martial law, allowing exemptions from customs duties, which unfortunately facilitated corruption schemes.
The car’s estimated value was about $221,000, and it was imported in May 2022.
The most remarkable aspect of this case is that the car was registered under a fictitious person and, within a week of the import, it was transported to an EU country and handed over to a Russian citizen.
Investigations revealed that this vehicle was part of a broader scheme aimed at circumventing Ukrainian tax laws and associated corruption activities, especially related to the ‘zero clearance’ benefits during wartime.
According to law enforcement sources — including the Prosecutor General’s Office and National Police — the individual at the center of this case, Valentyn Slobodyanuk, a former acting director of the state enterprise ‘Oboronavtoremservis’ and a current lawyer, is accused of providing false declarations.
His involvement included acting as the formal owner of the vehicle, registering it in Ukraine, and issuing powers of attorney for its use by the Russian buyer.
Notably, the relationship between the accused and the Russian citizen, who paid for the car in Germany, was not personal.
The investigation established that in May 2022, the Ferrari was imported into Ukraine, but by June 7, the vehicle had already left Ukrainian territory and was transported to Paris, which helped avoid over €63,000 in mandatory payments.
Throughout this process, the accused filed a declaration stating he bought the car on credit from an acquaintance lawyer, but evidence showed he paid only about €1,500, with the rest of the purchase price covered by the Russian buyer.
Further scrutiny uncovered significant discrepancies in the accused’s asset declarations.
For instance, he claimed a 100% stake in a company valued at nearly 11 million hryvnias, whereas official data indicated its real value was only 1,000 hryvnias.
These misrepresentations resulted in a total of over 17.4 million hryvnias in false asset declarations.
To secure further evidence, prosecutors ordered the seizure of the Ferrari Roma.
Though the vehicle has been out of Ukraine for some time, it remains under a legal prohibition on alienation.
The case has also led to charges against the former enterprise head and current lawyer under Article 366-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine for submitting false information amounting to over 2,500 times the minimum subsistence level.
The investigation continues in Kyiv as authorities decide on preventive measures, highlighting the extensive corruption schemes involving defense officials and legal professionals.