The Swiss voice in the world since 1935
Top stories
Stay in touch with Switzerland

Swiss court finds Ukrainian politician guilty of money laundering 

Swiss Criminal Court in Bellinzona
The Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona, canton Ticino. © Keystone / Ti-press / Pablo Gianinazzi

The Federal Criminal Court has convicted former Ukrainian lawmaker Mykola Martynenko and a second unnamed Ukrainian national of money laundering. It said bribes of around €2.8 million (CHF3 million) were laundered via a Swiss bank.

The court sentenced Martynenko to 28 months in prison, of which 16 are suspended. He was also fined CHF1,000 ($1,050) and will have to pay back around CHF3.8 million to the Swiss authorities.

His unnamed co-defendant was also sentenced to 24 months behind bars and fined.

Martynenko was accused of having awarded a multi-million-dollar contract for nuclear fuel elements without a call for tenders to the Czech-based company Skoda JS. In exchange, he received several million dollars via a private bank based in Zurich.

Martynenko pleaded not guilty. 

Last December, the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland reported that the case had been opened thanks to “excellent cooperation from the Ukrainian and Czech prosecution authorities”.

More

Popular Stories

News

Death of Esther Grether, owner of the Doetsch Grether Group

More

Swiss billionaire Esther Grether dies

This content was published on Esther Grether has died aged 89. Considered one of Switzerland’s leading entrepreneurs, the owner of the Basel-based Doetsch Grether Group was also a major shareholder in the Swatch Group and an art collector.

Read more: Swiss billionaire Esther Grether dies
Flag of the Swiss Wrestling Federation ceremoniously received in Mollis GL

More

Three-day Swiss wrestling festival begins

This content was published on The flag of the Swiss Wrestling Federation has been received at the start of the Swiss Wrestling and Alpine Festival in Mollis, canton Glarus.

Read more: Three-day Swiss wrestling festival begins

In compliance with the JTI standards

More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative

You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!

If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR