The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) has revealed details of a large-scale corruption scheme in the energy sector, uncovered during a joint operation with the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office. The information was published by NABU.
According to the investigation, members of a criminal organization systematically received illicit payments from contractors of the state company Energoatom, amounting to 10–15% of the value of contracts. Suppliers were forced to pay kickbacks to avoid blocked payments or the loss of their supplier status — a practice known as the “Barrier” scheme.
The leader of the criminal group involved a former deputy head of the State Property Fund, who later became an adviser to the Minister of Energy, and a former law enforcement officer who served as executive director for physical protection and security at the company.
Using their connections within the ministry and the state enterprise, the group controlled personnel appointments, procurement processes, and financial flows. NABU reported that the management of the strategic enterprise, which generates over 200 billion hryvnias annually, was effectively handled by outsiders with no formal authority who acted as so-called “overseers.”