The FBI may take an interest in Zelensky ally Timur Mindich over money laundering

One of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s closest associates, businessman Timur Mindich, may become a subject of an FBI investigation into money laundering.

This was reported by Ukrainska Pravda, citing sources.

According to the outlet, the case may involve corruption at the Odesa Portside Plant (OPP), informal control over which—already before the full-scale war—shifted from one co-owner of the Kvartal 95 studio, Serhiy Shefir, to another—Timur Mindich.

In April 2023, NABU announced a search for suspects in the embezzlement of funds at OPP. One of them, businessman Oleksandr Horbunenko, left for the United States on a tourist visa a few days before Russia’s invasion, where he received temporary protection as a refugee. After NABU’s appeal in April 2025, a criminal case was opened against him in the U.S. He was detained at the airport while attempting to fly to Dubai.

Representatives of NABU and SAPO attempted to officially reach Horbunenko, who was in custody, to question him—including about Mindich.

After that, FBI representatives suddenly removed Horbunenko from custody—but did not deport, fine, or imprison him; instead, they released him with protected status. This may indicate that Horbunenko agreed to cooperate with the Americans.

“Horbunenko may have laundered money—like all the other participants in the OPP scheme. Therefore, it’s obvious he could be of interest to the feds not only in the context of Mindich, but also with respect to other influential users of money-laundering schemes,” said a representative of Ukraine’s law enforcement system.

Earlier, media reported that a listening device was found in Mindich’s apartment, which Zelensky had visited.