Former Ukrainian Presidential Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak Charged in Corruption Investigation
Andriy Yermak, former chief of staff to President Volodymyr Zelensky, has been charged with money laundering related to a luxury housing project near Kyiv.
Ukrainian authorities have charged Andriy Yermak, former chief of staff to President Volodymyr Zelensky, with money laundering in connection to a luxury housing development near Kyiv. The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) announced the charges, alleging that an organized group laundered approximately 460 million hryvnias (about $10.5 million) through the project. Yermak is suspected of being a participant in this scheme and has been formally charged under Part 3, Article 209 of Ukraine's Criminal Code, which pertains to the legalization of criminally obtained assets.
The investigation centers on the 'Dynasty' private construction project in the Kozyn suburb of Kyiv. In 2018, Buddevelopment LLC, co-founded by an individual known as 'Che Guevara'—allegedly former Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov—purchased over four hectares of land from the Kozyn Village Council. By May 2020, plans for the 'Dynasty' project had emerged on this land.
Yermak, who resigned from his position in November 2025 amid ongoing corruption investigations, has not publicly commented on the recent charges.
The 'Dynasty' project is part of a broader investigation into corruption within Ukraine's energy sector, particularly involving the state nuclear monopoly Energoatom. This probe has already led to charges against several high-profile individuals, including former Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov and former Energy and Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko.
President Zelensky has not issued an official statement regarding the charges against Yermak. His advisor, Dmytro Lytvyn, stated that 'it is too early to assess the ongoing procedural actions.'
Yermak, a former lawyer and film producer with no prior political experience, became a close associate of Zelensky and was appointed head of the Presidential Office in 2020. He played a significant role in foreign policy, including liaising with U.S. officials on peace negotiations with Russia.