None of the activists noticed the glaring fact that Arbuzov’s accounts were unblocked by his associate and friend, Yuriy Lutsenko’s lawyer Igor Fomin.
The last straw that broke the activists’ patience was the lifting of the freeze on the accounts of the former head of the NBU, former acting Prime Minister of Ukraine Serhiy Arbuzov.
On Sunday, November 30, on Independence Square in Kyiv, activists held a protest against the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, Vitaliy Yarema. The last straw that broke the camel’s back was the lifting of the arrest on the accounts of the former head of the National Bank, former acting Prime Minister of Ukraine, Serhiy Arbuzov, a person from the inner circle of President Yanukovych.
However, none of the activists noticed the glaring fact that Arbuzov’s accounts were unblocked by Yuriy Lutsenko’s associate and friend, his lawyer (who defended Lutsenko in court) Igor Fomin.
Action “Remove Yarema”
On November 30, in Kyiv, the People’s Assembly adopted an appeal to President Poroshenko demanding that he dismiss Prosecutor General Vitaliy Yarema for the “total, unpunished rampant banditry and corruption in Ukraine.”
“To the President of Ukraine P. Poroshenko, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada V. Groysman.
We, citizens of Ukraine, Maidan activists, representatives of public organizations and initiatives throughout Ukraine, present at the people’s meeting in Kyiv on Maidan on November 30, 2014, appeal to you with a demand. For inaction, incompetence of the position held, immoral ethics of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, which led to total unpunished rampant banditry and corruption in Ukraine…
Activists note that the scale of bribery in the prosecutor’s office during Yarema’s time has grown to unprecedented levels.
“They say that even under Pshonka (Prosecutor General 2010-2014) there was no such scale of bribery as under Yarema. I communicate with employees of the prosecutor’s office, I also worked there before the usurpation by the Donetsk clan, and I hear from the guys who remained there that there was no such volume of corruption either under Potebenko (Prosecutor General 1998-2002 – author), if we recall the truly demonic figures, or under Piskun (Prosecutor General 2002-2003), and he was also a businessman,” writes journalist Sergei Ivanov.
Vitaly Yarema
Among other complaints against Yarema that were voiced at the Veche were failure to implement the law on cleansing power and delays in the investigation of the murder of the Heavenly Hundred (February 18-20, 2013).
After Arbuzov’s accounts were unblocked, the Prosecutor General would have resigned long ago in any country. But in our country, he will continue to carry his “unbearable burden” – this is simply an incredible and “boundless” fact, – the activists were indignant.
Sasha the Dentist’s Well-Known Friend – Sergey Arbuzov
So, Arbuzov and his accounts. Let us recall that on April 15 of this year, the Council of the European Union on Foreign Affairs froze the accounts of four Ukrainian officials and MPs close to former President Viktor Yanukovych – former First Vice Prime Minister Serhiy Arbuzov, former Minister of Revenue and Duties Oleksandr Klymenko, former Minister of Energy and Coal Industry Eduard Stavytsky, and MP from the Party of Regions faction Yuriy Ivanyushchenko. Europe suspected them of embezzling funds from the state budget of Ukraine.
All of the above are those who are commonly called the “Family”. But the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine began criminal proceedings against, in particular, Arbuzov, only a month after the European sanctions – in May. Three months have passed since his flight from the country (March).
“Attention, Arbuzov had three months when he had no procedural charter and could easily take out his fortune, which, I think, is what he did,” newly elected MP, journalist Sergei Ivanov, recalls today.
Sergey Arbuzov
Arbuzov is the former head of the National Bank of Ukraine (2010-2012), acting Prime Minister of Ukraine (from January 28 to February 27, 2014). As is known, he is accused of embezzling 120 million hryvnia during the creation of the BTB TV channel. His mother, Valentina Arbuzova, is a banker with many years of experience; according to the rating of Focus magazine in 2013, she was among the ten most influential women in Ukraine.
Serhiy Arbuzov was appointed head of the National Bank of Ukraine in order to help the eldest son of President Viktor Yanukovych, Oleksandr, buy new banking assets in Ukraine, many media outlets (including the well-known Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita) claimed.
Judge, Yarema, are these the only ones?..
“Today, Censor.NET was given a copy of the Pechersk Court’s decision on case No. 757/32134/14-k… I couldn’t believe that this was possible, but this copy has all the details, and it’s easy to verify its authenticity,” Censor’s editor-in-chief Yuri Butusov reported on November 29.
According to the journalist, on November 21, the anniversary of the Revolution of Dignity, when the country first celebrated this date, mourning those killed on Independence Square, the Pechersk District Court of Kyiv ruled to lift the arrest on the property of the main financier of the Yanukovych “Family”, former First Vice Prime Minister Serhiy Arbuzov. For almost eight months, Arbuzov has been under sanctions from the West, which was shocked by the murders on Maidan. And on November 21, the Ukrainian court, which is located 500 meters from Maidan (!), ruled to lift the arrest on the accounts of the former government official.
It is a paradox, but it was Arbuzov who financed the crimes against the people, and it was his money that paid the hired killers. At the meetings of the headquarters for the fight against Maidan, which was headed by Alexander Yanukovych, Arbuzov was one of the most resolute supporters of the destruction of Maidan, at any cost.
According to Ukrainian intelligence services, it is the money of the Yanukovych family and the money of Arbuzov that is currently financing the war in Donbass – their money is used to pay terrorists who are killing Ukrainians.
Arbuzov’s frozen accounts, which were returned to his control on the anniversary of Euromaidan, contained almost 200 million hryvnia!
“What is the fate of this money now? Why was it returned to the sponsor of terrorism, an international criminal? Why was this money not sent to the budget of Ukraine?! And what about assistance to the army and the people, who are exhausted in the war with the aggressor?!
Please note what ridiculous arguments for lifting the arrest formed the basis of the decision “in the name of Ukraine” – Yuriy Butusov is outraged.
The journalist’s anger is fair and justified: the Prosecutor General’s Office is inactive, the judges are corrupt. But the media man, it seems, did not pay attention to a very important detail: the court’s decision clearly shows that Arbuzov’s defenders were… Fomin and Dytynko. The same Igor Fomin and Oksana Dytynko – friends and defenders of Petro Poroshenko’s trusted person and the leader of his faction in the Verkhovna Rada – Yuriy Lutsenko!
Copy of the court decision
“Pechersk District Court of Kyiv
Case No. 757/32134/14-k
Resolution
In the name of Ukraine
21.11.2014 Kyiv
Investigative judge of the Pechersk district court of Kyiv, V.V. Pidpaly
Under the secretary Didyk M.V.
With the participation of prosecutor Popov A.O.
Defenders – lawyers Dytynko O. V., Fomina I. Yu., Andriyshina N. P. (!)
.., from the provided materials of the criminal proceedings it is evident that Arbuzov was not warned of suspicion in Art. 1,42 part 1,111 part 3,276 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine, and accordingly, Art. 42 part 1 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine does not have the status of a suspect in criminal proceedings No. 42014000000000359, and according to the data provided to the court, does not belong to either the parties to the criminal proceedings or to the participants in criminal proceedings No. 42014000000000359.
Under such circumstances, it appears that there is no longer any need to further seize the property of Arbuzov S.G. and Arbuzova I.O., therefore, the petition of Ditinko O.V. to cancel the seizure of the property, adopted by the decisions of the investigating judge of the Pechersk District Court of Kyiv dated 04.08.2014 and dated 20.05.2014, respectively, in criminal proceedings No. 42014000000000359, is subject to satisfaction….
Guided by Articles 13, 14 of the Constitution of Ukraine, Article 1 of Protocol 1, the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, Articles 1, 42 part 1, 111 part 3, 174, 276 part 1, 278, 309 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine.
RESOLVED:
The petition of lawyer Ditinko O.V. in the interests of Arbuzov S.G. to lift the seizure of the property of Arbuzov S.G. and Arbuzova I.A., imposed by the decisions of the investigating judge of the Pechersky District Court of Kyiv dated 04.08.2014 and dated 20.05.2014, respectively, in criminal proceedings No. 42014000000000359 – shall be satisfied.
The arrest imposed by the ruling of the investigating judge of the Pechersk District Court of Kyiv dated 20.05.2014 on the property of Arbuzov Sergei Gennadievich, born on 24.03.1976, namely the expense part of the accounts belonging to him in PJSC “Ukreximbank” (MFO 322313) ________, No. 26209017215895 (foreign currency); in PJSC “Ukrbusinessbank” (MFO 334969), and No. 26309900352802; No. 26252000077624; No. 26259000061086; No. 26351025215005, —-53000069589; No. 26255000077621; No. 262062541980; in PJSC Oschadbank (MFO 300465), namely: No. 26207100103074; No. 26354000114180 – cancel.
The arrest imposed by the ruling of the investigating judge of the Pechersk District Court of Kyiv dated 04.08.2014 on the property of Irina Aleksandrovna Arbuzova, born on 07.10.1970, namely the expense portion of her accounts and balances on securities accounts in PJSC Ukreximbank (MFO 322313) No. 0001029665; in PJSC Ukrbusinessbank (MFO 334969) No. 262072560980, No. 26254000118105, No. 2625000021443, No. 26024852710; in PJSC “VBR” (MFO 380719) No. 26256000161611; in PJSC “Oshchadbank” (MFO 300465) No. 26205100103076, No. 26354000114179, No. 26203100104970, No. _______-4000114760, No. 26355000112040, 3005081 – cancel.
Based on Article 535, Part 4 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine, notify the investigating judge who issued the order for its execution.
The decision cannot be appealed.
Investigative judge V.V. Pidpaly.
If justice exists, then those who made such a decision should be immediately arrested – they are accomplices of terrorists and international crime. It was impossible to give millions to Arbuzov without the knowledge of the Prosecutor General’s Office leadership. It is obvious that the GPU concealed from society the fact of collusion with Arbuzov, – activists were indignant.
Realizing that the court’s decision had been made public and their work had been ridiculed by the public, the prosecutors immediately corrected themselves and on November 29th reported that Arbuzov’s accounts had been frozen again. This time by the SBU.
Currently, the Main Investigative Department of the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine is providing a legal assessment regarding the legality of the decision taken by the investigative judge of the Pechersk District Court of Kyiv to cancel the arrests imposed on the accounts of Sergei and Irina Arbuzov, the GPU reported on November 29.
“We filed new petitions to freeze the accounts of Sergei Gennadievich Arbuzov and his wife, and a decision was made on the same day. The money that was previously frozen is in full in the accounts, that is, nothing has been withdrawn,” Maxim Vishnyakov, an investigator for especially important cases at the Prosecutor General’s Office, assured journalists.
“Holy” Trinity
However, both the judges and Yarema, against whom the public has risen up today, are just the tip of the iceberg. Look deeper, gentlemen activists, if you really want to know who was the “puppet master” in the “Arbuzov case”.
So, we read the court decision: “The petition of lawyer Dytynko O.V. in the interests of Arbuzov S.G. to lift the seizure of the property of Arbuzov S.G. and Arbuzova I.A. … is granted.”
We look at the side of the defenders – lawyers Dytynko O. V., Fomin I. Yu., Andriyshina N. P.
Igor Fomin is one of the most successful lawyers in modern Ukraine. He has been practicing criminal cases for over 25 years. His professional experience includes a large number of closed custom-made criminal cases, many acquittals, – writes about himself on his personal website, the director of the law firm “Ukrainian Law Company” Igor Fomin/
Fomin charges a lot for his work – 200 euros per hour. By the way, defending Yuriy Vitalyevich in court, this lawyer worked almost 5 thousand hours. (How Lutsenko paid his lawyer and who was left in debt to whom is a question for a separate article).
“Due to family circumstances, attorney V. Orlov will no longer be able to participate in my defense. I ask that attorney Oksana Dytynko be admitted as my defense attorney,” Yuriy Lutsenko announced at his trial on January 13, 2012, thereby introducing the second attorney to whom he had entrusted his fate – Oksana Dytynko.
The third lawyer in Lutsenko’s trial was the current Deputy Prosecutor General, Oleksiy Baganets.
Fomin does not hide his friendly relations with the people with whom he was involved in the “Lutsenko case” – Oleksiy Bagants and a trusted person of President Poroshenko, the head of the “Petro Poroshenko Bloc” faction in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine – former “political prisoner” Yuriy Lutsenko.
Let’s get to the root of the matter
So, Arbuzov had almost 200 million UAH in his accounts. This money lay in unblocked accounts for four (!) days. The question is rhetorical: did the experienced financier Arbuzov withdraw it from his accounts? The man of the “Family”, involved in financing the murders on Maidan?
After this, there is no longer any doubt about the information that is circulating on the Internet: Yanukovych released Lutsenko from prison on certain conditions, which are set out in writing – the former “political prisoner” Lutsenko was supposed to help Yanukovych in every possible way. The fact that Arbuzov’s accounts were unblocked demonstrates that Lutsenko is fulfilling his obligations (possibly fearing that the document-agreement could surface for review by the general public). And the GPU “covers” Lutsenko’s obligations.
Only not Yarema, but his deputy – friend and companion of Fomin and Lutsenko, Deputy Prosecutor General Alexey Baganets!
Otherwise, would it have been possible to make such a court decision, especially on the anniversary of the Revolution of Dignity? For Yanukovych-Arbuzov, this is not a date. A decision that raised the whole public on its ears. And would lawyers Fomin and Dytynko have been able to decide themselves (!) to go to court with a petition to defend the accomplice of terrorism and tyrant Yanukovych – Arbuzov?
The following fact also attracts attention: Yuriy Lutsenko never criticizes the influential and odious associates of Yanukovych – the accountant of the “Family” Arbuzov, the “master of judicial affairs” Portnov, Sasha the dentist (the eldest son of President Yanukovych), who in fact led the division of Ukraine… Why? Because he himself feeds off them?
And one more thing. Arbuzov is a millionaire and undoubtedly generously paid his lawyers. And who did the lawyers share with so that such a court decision could be made? For some reason, it seems that Yuriy Lutsenko’s new palace-house, which was recently shown on one of the Ukrainian TV channels, appeared, among other things, at the expense of the unblocked accounts of the terrorist sponsor, Yanukovych’s main financier – Sergey Arbuzov.
P.S. On December 1, journalist Butusov reported that some of the money had been withdrawn from the accounts of former NBU head Arbuzov.
“I will tell you an unofficial version – a very “tendentious” one, which cannot yet be proven, which is being talked about by Mr. Yarema’s “slanderers” in the Prosecutor General’s Office. None of this has been officially confirmed, it cannot be stated – but this information should help the deputies navigate the information received. Sergei Arbuzov was in Kyiv – it seems incredible, but I am no longer surprised. In any case, personally or through communication – he agreed that the Prosecutor General’s Office would lift the arrest from the accounts,” Butusov wrote.
According to him, Arbuzov authorized his adviser Mikhail Goykhman to negotiate with the GPU. Direct negotiations with Judge Vyacheslav Pidpaly were conducted by Deputy Head of the Main Directorate for the Protection of Citizens’ Rights and Freedoms Vladimir Orlov.
“Only three copies of the court’s decision were made in writing. And the swindlers agreed not to enter this decision into the Unified Register of Court Decisions. The decision was made on Friday. And the arrest was imposed again only on Monday evening. There were 200 million hryvnias in the accounts. The papers went from Reznitskaya to Khreshchatyk for so long because on the morning of November 24, a significant part of the amount was withdrawn from the accounts by bank transfer. There are no NBU restrictions on the transfer of bank transfers. There is no information yet on how much was withdrawn,” Butusov assures.
Regarding the GPU employee Orlov: at the moment he is subject to lustration, but Yarema is not firing him. Although it is known that during Yanukovych’s time Orlov was the head of the Sumy customs and has a reputation as the main smuggler in Ukraine. People in the know claim that it is Orlov who resolves any issues regarding the “protection” of smuggling and the elimination of unwanted competitors through the Prosecutor General’s Office.
Orlov, like Baganets, was appointed to a leadership position in the GPU after Lutsenko became Poroshenko’s trusted man.
And now attention: Vladimir Orlov is Yuriy Lutsenko’s lawyer in court (in the same “Lutsenko case”), who was replaced in court by Oksana Dytynko on January 13, 2012!
Any questions? So who helped Arbuzov withdraw the money stolen from the people of Ukraine?
Igor Chistyakov, Anticorrosive