MP Odarchenko, suspected of attempting to bribe with bitcoins, has likely left the country

Ukrainian Member of Parliament Andriy Odarchenko, who is suspected of attempting to bribe Mustafa Nayyem with bitcoin, has likely left the country.

This was stated by the prosecutor of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office during a court hearing.

Odarchenko’s lawyers claimed they do not know his whereabouts and have not communicated with him in the past two days. He was also absent from the Verkhovna Rada today.

According to the prosecution, the MP, who was expelled from the “Servant of the People” party, may have crossed the border through the Zakarpattia region, as he had close relations with the former head of the Zakarpattia Regional Military Administration, Viktor Mykyta. Mykyta was recently appointed as the deputy head of the Office of the President under Andriy Yermak.

Previously, Odarchenko had surrendered his foreign passports.

The High Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine has issued an order for Odarchenko to be brought to court and will consider a petition tomorrow to seize his bail and declare him on an international wanted list.

In November 2023, Odarchenko was served with a suspicion notice for attempting to bribe the head of the State Restoration Agency using bitcoin. In exchange for the bribe, he requested that funds from the Aggression Consequences Elimination Fund be allocated for the repair of university buildings, where he still holds the position of rector (though his contract has been suspended).