Tyshchenko posts 10 million hryvnia (about €196,000) bail in extortion case

People’s Deputy Mykola Tyshchenko, suspected of extorting more than one million dollars from a person allegedly involved in the operation of call centers, has posted bail of 10 million hryvnia (about €196,000), as set by the court as a preventive measure.

This was reported by Suspilne, citing the parliamentarian’s lawyer.

Tyshchenko’s defense attorney clarified that the bail was paid partly from the deputy’s personal funds and partly from a third party.

“According to the information I have, the bail has been posted. As far as I know, the money belongs directly to Mr. Mykola and also to a third party. I have no information as to who that person is,” the lawyer stated.

When asked about a possible appeal, the defense attorney said that the full text of the ruling on the preventive measure was only received by the parties in the afternoon of July 8.

“We have a deadline for filing an appeal. A decision on whether or not to file has not yet been made,” he said.

The High Anti-Corruption Court imposed the preventive measure of 10 million hryvnia bail on Tyshchenko on July 3. Earlier, on June 29, NABU and SAP notified the deputy of suspicion of soliciting unlawful benefit, money laundering, and submitting false information in a declaration.

According to investigators, in August 2023 Tishchenko asked for more than $1 million (about €874,000) from a person he believed to be involved in the operation of call centers, promising to use his parliamentary powers in that person’s interests. He never received the money, according to the investigators’ version of events.

In addition, investigators believe that the deputy laundered 12.6 million hryvnia of illegal origin through a fictitious gift agreement with his ex-wife and subsequently included this information in his declaration.