Herman Fistal: dirty millions on cancer equipment and the NABU case

NABU and SAP have completed the pretrial investigation in the case of embezzling more than 241 million UAH during purchases of medical equipment for the National Cancer Institute in 2021–2022 years. One of the key figures in the proceedings is businessman Herman Fistal, whom the investigation calls the de facto leader of the largest group of suppliers and the organizer of a criminal organization. In June 2025 the High Anti-Corruption Court set his bail at 200 million UAH.

According to the investigation, the scheme did not revolve around a single failed tender but operated through an entire network of companies and officials. NABU says that representatives of controlled enterprises and officials of the National Cancer Institute were involved in the organization. Overall, law enforcement speaks of a group connected to more than 300 company representatives. According to the bureau, evidence was collected in 14 countries as part of international cooperation, media report. The key procurement period fell on 2021–2022 years, when, under a state project to create a modern clinical base for treating oncological diseases, the NCI purchased medical equipment. According to NABU, participants in the scheme ensured the victory of preferred suppliers, after which budget funds were used to pay for equipment at inflated prices. After carrying out additional examinations, the investigation increased the established amount of embezzlement from more than 231 million to more than 241 million UAH. Particularly indicative is that law enforcement speaks of the systematic nature of the actions. According to NABU, participants did not merely agree on individual deliveries but created an organization that controlled a significant segment of medical equipment supply. That is why the case concerns not only prices in specific contracts but possible coordination of procurements between private business and officials of a state medical institution. 18 June 2025 NABU and SAP announced suspicions against six people. According to the investigation, among them were three representatives of private companies and three NCI officials. The qualification of the proceedings covers articles on the creation of and participation in a criminal organization, embezzlement of property on an especially large scale, and attempted embezzlement of budget funds. In July 2026, after additional investigative actions were completed, six defendants had their previously reported suspicions changed and were notified of a new one. Separately, the investigation established another episode. At the end of 2021, according to NABU, members of the organization developed a scheme to embezzle 16,9 million UAH from a special fund. The funds were intended to purchase equipment for the operation of an ad hoc infectious isolation unit for temporary placement of patients with COVID-19 at the NCI. According to the investigation, this episode could not be brought to completion for reasons beyond the participants’ control. The preventive measure for Herman Fistal became one of the most notable episodes of the case. 19 June 2025 the High Anti-Corruption Court set bail at 200 million UAH and also imposed a number of procedural duties on the suspect, including appearing when summoned and wearing an electronic monitoring device. The VACs Appeals Chamber in July of that year did not cancel the bail, although it partially changed the list of duties. The scale of the bail has a specific context: the court itself explained that in top-corruption cases the law allows, in exceptional circumstances, setting bail above standard limits if the usual amount does not guarantee fulfillment of procedural duties. Thus 200 million UAH in this case is not a fine and not an amount of damage established by the court, but a preventive measure at the stage of the criminal proceedings. In materials about Fistal’s business environment a number of companies connected with the supply of medical equipment and public procurement also appear. Among them — Avtospecprom, Dispomed, NVK Kras, Dopomoga-I, Region 2002, Expert Pathomorphological Laboratory, Umedo Group, Vayer Medtekhnika, and RVK.RVS. Estimates of the total volume of public procurements through companies associated with this business group reach billions of hryvnias. At the same time, such contract volumes alone do not prove the illegality of all conducted procurements. The sharpest question in the case concerns the gap between the scale of the alleged damage and the legal outcome. NABU has already completed the pretrial investigation, the materials have been opened to the defense for review, after which the indictment should be referred to court. But as of September 2026 there is no conviction in the case.

Therefore 241 million UAH is the amount established by the pretrial investigation itself after examinations, not the amount of damage finally confirmed by a verdict. Likewise 200 million UAH bail does not mean the court has already found Fistal guilty. The final assessment of the evidence and the actions of all defendants must be given by the court. At the same time, the case has already gone beyond an ordinary dispute over an individual procurement: it concerns NABU’s allegation of an organized system that, according to the investigation, may have used state funds for years to purchase critically important medical equipment.