"White Bail" for Corrupt Officials: Who Launders Millions for NABU Subjects

In Ukraine, conversion centers and even legitimate companies offer a relatively new service: for 10—30% they are ready to post bail for anyone. If, for example, 100 million UAH must be posted for a particularly scandalous politician, such operators are willing to "receive" 130 million UAH in cash and then, with the funds relatively "clean," deposit the required sum into the account of the High Anti-Corruption Court. 30 million is kept as payment for their services.

This is reported by the publication "Telegraf"

The law does not provide for verification of funds used for bail, so the only obstacle is the bank's financial monitoring through the account used for the transfer. But even this obstacle, as recent news have shown, can be easily circumvented.

The suspect himself is most often an officially poor high-ranking official, customs officer, or civil servant, and therefore has no chance to explain where such an amount for bail came from. One of the most notable figures in such stories appears to be businessman Vasyl Astion. His company posted bail in the case of former NBU governor Kyrylo Shevchenko, for scandalous MP Mykola Tyshchenko, and even for a figure in the "Mindichgate" case, former justice minister Herman Halushchenko.

Who is Astion

Telegraf has a WACs ruling authorizing searches in the home of the former Deputy Head of the Office of the President, Iryna Mudra. In that document, NABU detectives claimed that part of Halushchenko's bail was sent from the company "Vostoktranslogistika," which is controlled by Astion. Law enforcement alleges the businessman's firm provided the service for a commission. At the same time Astion allegedly handled court decisions — that is, he effectively influenced judges.

The official owner of "Vostoktranslogistika" is Dmytro Peredriy from Dnipro. He also managed "Dniproagro," which is in bankruptcy proceedings. "Dniproagro" is officially owned by the Astion brothers (Yevhen and Vasyl). For many years Peredriy has officially acted as the Astions' top manager.

His company "Vostoktranslogistika" has already been used many times to pay bail. In particular, in 2022 it transferred 35,1 million UAH as bail in the "Ukrgasbank" case. Former NBU head Kyrylo Shevchenko was also involved in that case. Which defendant the bail covered is redacted in the court materials. 5 million UAH "Vostoktranslogistika" paid as part of the bail for MP Mykola Tyshchenko. The most recent case — 35 million UAH as bail for Halushchenko.

"On the account of the enterprise controlled by V.M. Astion, LLC 'Vostoktranslogistika,' specifically on the account number UA413005280000026005455050367 opened at JSC 'OTP Bank,' funds totaling 40,1 million UAH were accumulated," the WACs ruling states.

Of the 40,1 million UAH intended for bail, only 35 million UAH was spent on bail. Presumably about 5,1 million UAH remained as a commission for services (approximately 14,5%).

Officially, Peredriy was listed as a manager or beneficiary in the following companies:

These companies likely relate to Vasyl Astion through their manager. At the same time, he officially owns dozens of different companies, including "Amalteya," "Verkhivtsevskyi SEZ," "Kyiv Feed Mill Plant," and the AIF CICC "Genesis Capital."

The Astions control dozens of enterprises in Dnipropetrovsk region and other regions (grain farming, elevators, production of baby food — including "Khorol Baby Food Plant," assets of the former "Agromars" / TM "Havrylivski Kurchata"). In media reports and court registries, their companies often appear in the context of aggressive asset takeovers and corporate raids. In many cases Astion acquired assets thanks to judges' decisions. It is not surprising that he guaranteed "proper court" decisions.

Astion privatized the state enterprise "Zhytomyr Distillery and Vodka Plant," as well as the state concern "Ukrbud" in October 2025 by paying 805 million UAH through the acquisition of the company LLC "Techno-Online."

The Astions previously officially owned shares in the bank "Ukrainian Capital" (9,99% each brother until the end of 2020). This bank was fined 42,5 million UAH by the NBU for violations of anti-money-laundering requirements — an amount almost twice the bank's annual profit (23 million UAH). Part of the fine (2 million UAH) was imposed for failure to comply with the law on foreign exchange operations and ignoring KYC document checks.

Telegraf previously wrote that "Ukrainian Capital" is linked to the activities of an informal office called "Black Audit," which provided tax minimization services, "cash-out" schemes, and capital extraction abroad under the guise of payment for non-existent import contracts (for example, purchases of clothing or building materials). It is quite possible the Astion brothers were involved in this informal office, although they no longer officially own "Ukrainian Capital."

Dozens of fictitious companies were registered at the same mass-registration addresses (for example, in a standard office suite in Dnipro or under the names of straw persons who have hundreds of companies registered to them). The Astion brothers also register companies in Dnipro. Vasyl Astion was a deputy of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Council from the "Vidrodzhennia" party.

NABU also found that Astion long had the ability to influence "Sense Bank" and to use state institutions in schemes. Read more about Astion's activities and "Black Audit" in upcoming publications.

On the origin of the funds

Telegraf reviewed rulings on bail returns from the court registry and identified dozens of companies that posted millions of hryvnias in bail. Some of these firms are linked to the people for whom they posted bail; others appear to have provided paid services. For example, in the case of Mykola Zlochevskyi, former minister of ecology and natural resources under ex-president Viktor Yanukovych, a bail of 113 million UAH was posted by LLC "Avalon System."

This company is now owned by Hanna Kyselova from Donetsk. The previous owner was Oksana Petryk from Chernihiv region. In the same case another 34 million UAH bail was posted by LLC "All-Ukrainian Legal Council." Last year that LLC reported losses of 587 thousand UAH. The head of the firm is former Burisma top manager Andriy Kicha. By the way, his mother, 69-year-old Tetiana Kicha, was an assistant in 2012–2014 to then-MP and now NBU chair Andriy Pyshnyi.

In the case of former head of the Main Investigation Department of the Prosecutor General's Office Ihor Shcherbyna, bail of 2 million UAH was posted by the legal company "Energo-Lex." That LLC has now been renamed "Research Institute of Forensic Examinations and Legal Expertise." The company is now owned by Oleksii Supruh, and from May 2017 to the end of 2024 it was owned by attorney Tetiana Kardashenska.

But bail did not help. WACs found Shcherbyna guilty of fraud, incitement to give a bribe, and illegal possession of weapons. He was sentenced to 6 years in prison with confiscation of property.

Bail in the case of Oleksii Tamrazov, former first deputy head of Ukrgazvydobuvannia, was posted by LLC "AS Investment." The amount was 3 million UAH. Tamrazov was accused of taking a bribe of 200 thousand USD for lifting the seizure on gas belonging to LLC "Favorit System." The official was detained when he received part of the bribe — 100 thousand USD.

"AS Investment" is part of the corporate group of Oleksii Pravokhorenko. The group's companies operate in warehousing, transport, and fuel trading. Group assets include LLC "AS-Trans," LLC "Fuel Terminal Fastiv," LLC "Euro Nafto Group," LLC "AS Investment," and others.

Back-office employees Lyudmyla Zorina and Lesia Ustymenko were released on bail thanks to 37 million UAH from the company "Vangar." This firm was created in May 2025. The bail itself was posted in November 2025. The LLC's charter capital is only 1 thousand UAH. The company is registered to 66-year-old Anatolii Sobol from Kamianets-Podilskyi.

Currently in Ukraine the origin of funds for bail is practically not verified. The only mandatory check is the bank's financial monitoring. NABU and other law enforcement agencies can look for the origin of funds within other proceedings and investigations. However, bail checks are not carried out by default. In the Rada back in June 2026 a draft law 15388 was registered that would introduce mandatory verification of the origin of bail funds. However, this bill has not yet even been considered in first reading.