Corruption in Ukraine, the head of Zelensky's legal department arrested

Viktor Dubovyk, head of the Legal Policy Directorate under President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office, has been arrested following a corruption investigation led by the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (Sapo) and the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (Nabu). The arrest was ordered by the High Anti-Corruption Court in Kyiv on August 21, with the court approving a bail of 7 million hryvnias (approximately €134,000) instead of placing Dubovyk under formal custody. The charges against him stem from allegations that he was part of an organized criminal group implicated in illicit activities involving real estate and financial manipulation. The investigation, known as “Forrest Gump,” targets high-ranking officials within Zelensky’s administration, including members of parliament and other institutional figures. It encompasses three distinct lines of inquiry. The first involves the alleged laundering of 150 million hryvnias (around €2.9 million) in cash intended to secure the release of former Energy Minister Herman Galushchenko, who was arrested in February during the “Midas” investigation. The second focuses on the legalization of this money through Sense Bank, a state-owned bank, which the accused group allegedly controlled via two senior executives. The third branch of the probe centers on the unlawful acquisition of assets, specifically, the illegal seizure of companies and properties using forged documents, falsified judicial decisions, and unauthorized interventions into the Ministry of Justice’s records. Dubovyk is linked primarily to the third aspect of the investigation. According to prosecutors from Sapo and Nabu, the organization in question aimed to illegally acquire valuable real estate by exploiting access to the Ministry of Justice’s information systems and manipulating judicial decisions and property documents. In late 2025, investigators allege that the group acquired two companies worth approximately 248 million hryvnias (about €4.7 million). One of these entities reportedly enabled the group to target properties in central Kyiv valued at over 500 million hryvnias (nearly €9.6 million). By May 2026, the group had attempted to seize additional properties worth more than 207 million hryvnias (around €3.9 million). Dubovyk’s position gains significance due to his professional background. Prior to joining Zelensky’s inner circle, he directed the Office for Combating Illegal Property Acquisitions within the Ministry of Justice from 2020 to 2024. This office is responsible for reviewing complaints related to suspicious property and company registrations. Prosecutors claim that the accused organization sought to manipulate these records, documents, and administrative decisions to solidify its illegal acquisitions. His experience in this field made him a key figure in the group, according to the prosecutor’s testimony in court, as he allegedly provided guidance on how to operate within the anti-illegal property acquisition commission to block claims from individuals whose property had been unlawfully taken. Since May 2024, Dubovyk has served as head of the Legal Policy Directorate of the President’s Office, providing legal support to top presidential officials and participating in drafting legislative and institutional strategies. He was involved in international matters, such as the preparation of proposals for Ukraine’s participation in the OECD Anti-Corruption Convention. On February 27, 2026, Zelensky included Dubovyk in a working group tasked with developing these proposals. His role in both the legal policy unit and the broader administration underscores the gravity of the accusations against him.