NBU Investigates Banks Involved in Collateral for Halushchenko: What We Know

The National Bank of Ukraine has begun unscheduled inspections of other banks that served clients related to the collateral for former Minister of Energy and Justice Herman Halushchenko.

As reported by Delo.ua, this was mentioned in the NBU's statement following the review of the regulator's supervisory actions regarding Sens Bank in the years 2022-2026.

Yes, the inspections started on August 24. The NBU stated that they will check whether the banks complied with the legal requirements in the field of financial monitoring when servicing such clients, who, according to materials from NABU and SAP, transferred funds to the account of the High Anti-Corruption Court for the purpose of providing collateral.

However, the NBU does not disclose the names and number of banks involved.

The NBU stated that from the end of 2022 to 2026, the bank's committee made over 100 decisions concerning Sens Bank and sent 21 reports to law enforcement agencies, the State Tax Service of Ukraine, and the State Financial Monitoring Service of Ukraine.

The inspection completed in April 2025 revealed a significant array of previously unknown confidential protocols of the collective bodies of Sens Bank, which were reported to law enforcement agencies, according to the NBU's statement.

"The NBU Board supports the actions of independent anti-corruption bodies and is interested in the full and impartial establishment of all circumstances of the case. A necessary condition is maximum openness of the parties within the framework of the law and without prejudice to the pre-trial investigation," the NBU's public statement said.

Particular attention in the statement was given to the inspection that concluded in April 2025.

According to the National Bank, during this inspection, a significant array of previously unknown confidential protocols of the collective bodies of Sens Bank was discovered. The NBU informed law enforcement agencies about these documents. The analysis of the materials, as noted by the regulator, is ongoing. Additionally, these documents are being used by the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine in forming the state's position in international arbitration regarding the case initiated by former sanctioned owners of the bank.

On August 19, the government, following the NABU and SAP case, decided to suspend the chairman of the supervisory board of JSC "Sens Bank" Nikolai Gladyschenko from his duties for six months and initiated the suspension of the chairman of the board Alexey Stupak.

After that, the National Bank's Committee on Supervision and Regulation of Banking Activities decided that the chairman of the supervisory board of Sens Bank, Nikolai Gladyschenko, did not meet the established legal requirements for independence.

The National Bank also opened administrative proceedings to assess the collective unsuitability of the supervisory board.

The National Anti-Corruption Bureau announced a new special operation - "Forest Gump" - to expose "high-level corruption."

According to the investigation, the individuals involved took control of the state Sens Bank to use it for private interests. In particular, to pay the bail for the figure involved in the "Midas operation" (also known as the "Timur Mindich case") with money of "criminal origin."

Law enforcement agencies do not name the person for whom the bail was being collected. However, the details mentioned point to former Minister of Energy and Justice Herman Halushchenko.

In February, the High Anti-Corruption Court detained Halushchenko with the possibility of bail.

Herman Halushchenko is a figure in the large-scale "Midas operation" (also known as the "Mindich case") aimed at exposing corruption in the energy sector. According to the investigation, businessman Timur Mindich influenced Halushchenko, and the minister himself was involved in money laundering.

According to law enforcement, the criminal group included:

• Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine (referring to Iryna Mudra);
• Chairman of the Board and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the state Sens Bank (referring to Alexey Stupak and Nikolai Gladyschenko);
• Former people's deputy (referring to Maxim Mykytas).

On the same day, President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed Iryna Mudra from her position as Deputy Head of the Office of the President. The corresponding decree is dated August 19.

On August 25, the High Anti-Corruption Court partially satisfied the prosecution's petition regarding the preventive measure for former Deputy Head of the Office of the President Iryna Mudra, who is also a figure in this case. The court chose to detain her with an alternative bail of 20 million UAH.