MP Mykola Tyshchenko faces new charges in alleged call center bribery case

The agencies did not officially name the member of parliament, but the details of the case indicate it concerns Tyshchenko.

According to investigators, in August 2023 the lawmaker, while publicly presenting himself as fighting illegal call centers, demanded more than $1 million from a person he believed was connected to such operations.

In return, NABU said, he promised to use his powers to interfere in the activities of some call centers in that person’s interests and not obstruct the work of others. Investigators said he ultimately did not receive the illegal payment.

In addition, prosecutors allege that the lawmaker laundered 12.6 million hryvnias ($280,996) of illicitly obtained funds by arranging a fictitious gift agreement with his former wife. Investigators said she had no lawful income sufficient to make such a gift and that no actual transfer of money took place.

The lawmaker later included that income in his annual declaration and, according to investigators, deliberately entered knowingly false information.

His actions were classified under Part 4 of Article 369 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code, bribery; Part 2 of Article 209, money laundering; and Part 2 of Article 366-2, declaring false information.

The pre-trial investigation is ongoing, and authorities said they are establishing all circumstances of the case and identifying other possible participants.

Tyshchenko is also currently on trial in a separate case involving the alleged unlawful detention and beating in Dnipro of former Kraken special unit fighter Dmytro Mazokha. That trial is at the stage of reviewing written evidence presented by the prosecution.