Operation Midas: Suspects gave former deputy PM cash payments of US$1.2m and €100,000 – Ukrainian anti-corruption agencies

Law enforcement agencies have evidence that members of a corruption scheme in the energy sector handed over cash to a former deputy prime minister of Ukraine whom they referred to amongst themselves as "Che Guevara" (thought to be Oleksii Chernyshov).

Source: the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO)

Details: Investigators documented the transfer of US$1.2 million and almost €100,000 in cash, handed over either directly in an office or at a medical clinic owned by one of the members of the criminal organisation.

The investigators established that the most recent payment of US$500,000 had been passed to Che Guevara's wife after he himself had become a suspect in corruption cases brought by NABU and SAPO.

A NABU video shows the suspect dubbed "Sugarman" complaining because he didn't want to give Che Guevara "nice" banknotes: "The way he's behaved – Che Guevara, I mean – I don't want to give him nice ones."

The video also states that Sugarman coordinated the delivery of the funds to Che Guevara with "Karlson", the head of the criminal organisation.

Background:

• NABU's investigation indicates that tens of millions of dollars from Energoatom were laundered under the cover of complicit officials.
• The alleged scheme was somewhat crude: businesses that wanted to sell goods or services to Energoatom had to pay a 10-15% kickback or face non-payment and removal from the supplier list – a mechanism dubbed the "tollgate", since you either share your margin or you are left standing at closed doors.
• The ringleader is alleged to be Tymur Mindich (known as "Karlson" in the NABU files), a businessman, former associate of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and co-owner of Kvartal 95, the Ukrainian TV production company that Zelenskyy founded before he became president. Mindich left Ukraine just hours before the NABU search began.
• The home of former energy minister Herman Halushchenko ("Professor" or "Hera" on the tapes) was searched on 10 November. Sources say that Halushchenko is still an influential figure in the sector through the current energy minister, Svitlana Hrynchuk, and various managers that he installed prior to his dismissal in July 2025.
• NABU says the money-laundering back office, headed by the suspect nicknamed "Sugarman", was overseen by "Karlson", that is, Tymur Mindich.
• "Sugarman" is likely to be one of the Tsukerman brothers, Mykhailo or Oleksandr.
• Mindich is said to have run the scheme from his apartment on Hrushevskyi Street in Kyiv.

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