Yevhen Korniychuk's declaration: inaccurate data and hidden assets

Serious violations have been identified in the declaration of Yevhen Korniychuk, Ukraine's extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador to Israel. According to information provided by the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP), the document contained inflated income figures and hidden assets, raising concerns about the legality of their origin.

Errors in basic data

One of the first violations was the provision of incorrect data in the section on documents for identification abroad. Korniychuk stated that he did not have such documents, however, he and his children held valid foreign passports, as confirmed by copies from the unified demographic register. The ambassador also made an error in classifying his position, listing it as "state service" when the "diplomatic position" category should have been selected.

Hidden residences in Israel

Equally significant is the fact that the ambassador failed to declare two residences that he and his son used in Israel in 2021. According to the rental agreements, a six-month prepayment was made for the first residence, with a possible 5% rate increase upon renewal, while a fixed monthly amount (size unspecified) was paid for the second. Korniychuk claimed this was a mistake and that the properties were rented by the embassy, but the NACP rejected these explanations and was unable to establish the exact cost and characteristics of the properties.

Elite watches and hidden corporate rights

In the section on valuable assets, Korniychuk listed six elite watches in his declaration, including Omega, Rolex, and Patek Philippe, but did not specify their value. He stated that the watches were acquired before he began serving in the diplomatic corps, but there is no documentary evidence to support this. The investigation also failed to confirm their existence and value.

Furthermore, the ambassador concealed information about corporate rights in the Corino Foundation (Liechtenstein), which he established in 2007 for "business management". The foundation was only liquidated in February 2024, after the audit had begun. The value of its assets was approximately 900,000 hryvnia, but this information was absent from the declaration.

Mysterious 40 million hryvnia

However, the most significant violation is the inflation of the amount of monetary assets. Korniychuk declared $4.8 million and $3.5 million in cash, which amounts to over 131 million hryvnia at the current NBU exchange rate. However, the NACP claims that the actual amount was inflated by 40 million hryvnia.

The primary concern is the origin of these funds. Between 1998 and 2020, Korniychuk earned 28 million hryvnia. Yet, during this period, he spent 75 million hryvnia on purchasing real estate in Turkey and other needs, raising suspicions about the sources of his savings.

Incorrect data on expenses

The declaration also contained false information regarding expenses. For example, it listed 309,000 hryvnia for corporate rights, whereas the actual amount was 308,900 hryvnia. Additionally, Korniychuk failed to declare his membership in the National Association of Lawyers of Ukraine, explaining this by the loss of his certificate of legal practice, which the NACP deemed an insufficient explanation.

Compensations and fictitious expenses

Moreover, the ambassador declared compensation payments and expenses on his children's education amounting to 1.86 million hryvnia and 162,000 hryvnia respectively, which are not subject to disclosure in the declaration by law. He also listed his alleged participation in the public organisation "City of Parks", although he was not its founder.

Potential criminal consequences

The NACP believes that the identified violations may indicate the presence of signs of a criminal offence under Article 366-2, Part 2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Consequently, an investigation has been opened, and the official will be held accountable for his actions.