In the world of cryptocurrencies, Ukrainian officials are already feeling at home. Some honestly declare their bitcoins and ethers, while others turn digital currency into a new method of evading anti-corruption checks. However, the more bitcoins they have in their accounts, the more questions arise from the public.
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SubscribeAccording to Hapuga.UA, the list of "crypto lords" is topped by former Odessa city council deputy Dmitry Palpatin with 7700 BTC (approximately 700 million dollars), Odessa deputy Ivan Boychenko (5750 BTC, about 528 million dollars), and former people's deputy Dmitry Golubov (4376 BTC, around 400 million dollars).
Palpatin explains that he bought his bitcoins "early on," when one BTC cost mere pennies. However, how and why the former official continues to possess such a significant amount remains a mystery.
On the other hand, Ivan Boychenko, who was once caught in a bribery scandal, claims that his cryptocurrency is an "investment in the future." But where do such resources come from on a civil servant's salary?
Some deputies, like Oleg Bondarenko from "Servant of the People," sometimes "lose" their bitcoins. He previously declared 80 BTC, but in subsequent declarations, the crypto assets vanished. Similar stories are found among other officials who declare cryptocurrency one moment and then completely "forget" about its existence.
The head of the department at the Office of the Prosecutor General Vitaliy Brovko and his wife have been declaring their assets since 2017. However, each new data entry raises more questions than answers. For instance, in 2023, a new large entry appeared in the declaration – cryptocurrency worth 25 million hryvnias. Brovko himself insists that these are just "calculation errors."
Another example is juror Igor Bakai. His declaration attracted the interest of the NABU, which discovered discrepancies amounting to 8.9 million hryvnias. Bakai claims that everything has been declared correctly, but he is awaiting a court decision.
How does crypto help "hide" millions?
Cryptocurrencies are often referred to as transparent assets since transactions are recorded on the blockchain. However, Ukrainian officials have found a way to circumvent this: instead of real data, declarations may contain random strings of characters or simply the names of exchanges.
Moreover, through exchanges, cryptocurrency is converted into cash, concealing its origin. This "triangular scheme" allows officials to accept bribes without leaving traces.
While officials continue to seek loopholes to hide their income, Ukraine is still trying to establish an effective system for monitoring crypto assets. Transparency is needed not only for combating corruption but also for building public trust.
Cryptocurrencies in declarations are just the tip of the iceberg. The real issue lies in how these assets impact politics, the economy, and the future of the country.