Court Orders Arrest of Zelenskiy's Top Ally on Money Laundering

A Ukrainian anti-corruption court on Thursday ordered the arrest of Andriy Yermak, the former head of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's administration and one of his closest allies, on money-laundering charges tied to an alleged scheme involving approximately $10.5 million. The court set bail at 140 million hryvnias (roughly $3.19 million), which would allow Yermak to be released pending a final ruling. Yermak, who has denied the allegations against him, told reporters he does not have the funds to pay the bail and that his legal team will file an appeal. "We will use every legal avenue to seek justice and the truth," he said. The case represents the closest prosecutors have come to Zelenskiy's inner circle, as Ukrainian anti-graft agencies allege Yermak participated in a criminal group that laundered funds through a luxury housing development outside Kyiv. Yermak was widely regarded as Ukraine's second most powerful figure after Zelenskiy, wielding significant influence over Ukrainian politics despite holding an unelected position. The former film producer and entertainment lawyer frequently appeared at the president's side during public events and served as Kyiv's lead negotiator in U.S.-backed peace talks with Russia. He resigned last year amid a broader government shake-up aimed at restoring trust in the president's office. While the charges are not expected to pose an immediate threat to Zelenskiy's position, analysts suggest the case could cause longer-term reputational damage if he runs for re-election after the war concludes. Additional reporting indicates the investigation is linked to a luxury real estate project valued at approximately 9 million euros and connected to a separate corruption case involving the alleged diversion of roughly 100 million dollars from Ukraine's state nuclear energy agency.