Investigation into businessman Zhevaho completed in case of ex-Chairman of Supreme Court

Anti-corruption authorities of Ukraine have completed a pretrial investigation into the owner of the Finance and Credit group, businessman Kostiantyn Zhevaho, and his accomplice in the bribery case of ex-Chairman of the Supreme Court Vsevolod Kniazev.

"The prosecutor from the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) has decided to finish the pretrial investigation into the case of the Finance and Credit group owner, who is suspected of providing illegal benefits to the Supreme Court chairman and judges," the SAPO said in a message on its Telegram channel on Wednesday.

Additionally, according to SAPO, the investigation into the case against the individual who facilitated the transfer of the aforementioned funds has concluded.

"Today, at the direction of the SAPO prosecutor, NABU detectives made the case materials available to the defense for review," the report states.

The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office recalls that the SAPO and NABU determined that the businessman — the owner of the Finance and Credit Group — had contacts with a lawyer from the bar association. The lawyer was supposed to transfer the funds to another person involved in criminal activity. That person was supposed to provide the funds as an illegal benefit to the leadership of the Supreme Court in exchange for a court decision favorable to the businessman.

According to the investigation, the Ukrainian businessman purchased 40.19% of the mining and processing plant's shares from four companies in 2002. Eighteen years later, the former shareholders filed a lawsuit in a commercial court, seeking to invalidate the securities purchase and sale agreement and regain ownership of the plant. However, the court refused to grant their request.

In 2022, the appeal court overturned the initial decision and invalidated the securities purchase and sale agreement.

"To prevent the loss of shares, the businessman conspired with a back-office lawyer at the Supreme Court in early March 2023. From March to April of 2023, with the help of another lawyer and several unidentified individuals, the businessman transferred $2.7 million to the lawyer," according to the SAPO report.

On April 19, 2023, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the businessman.

On May 15, 2023, the Chairman of the Supreme Court and the lawyer were caught accepting the second installment of $450,000. The businessman was informed of the suspicion in August 2023, and his accomplice was informed in September 2025.

SAPO does not specify the names of the defendants. The defendants are businessman Zhevaho and former Chairman of the Supreme Court Kniazev.