David Arakhamia, head of the presidential Servant of the People faction, used the cars of Boris Kaufman, an Odessa businessman, to cross the border at least four times after the full-scale invasion began. Now Kaufman is a defendant in criminal proceedings by NABU and SAPO.
According to Bihus.Info, in August 2022, Arakhamia and his wife left Ukraine for Moldova in a black Toyota SUV, registered to the wife of Boris Kaufman. They returned on a Mercedes bus owned by a company where Kaufman is a co-owner. We are talking about a large distributor of tobacco products - the Tedis Ukraine company.
Arakhamia used the same Mercedes two more times - in October 2022 and August 2023, to return to Ukraine from abroad.
In comments to journalists, the people's deputy confirmed the use of Kaufman's cars, explaining this by the fact that he could not travel abroad in his car because of the tinted windows: “I get to Odessa, and then I ask him: “Give me a car to cross to Chisinau.” . Absolutely a domestic situation.”
Arakhamia noted that he has known the Kaufman family for more than 10 years. The last time they saw each other was in Odessa at a businessman’s birthday in November.
When asked whether Arakhamia sees a conflict of interest in his friendship with a businessman involved in criminal proceedings by NABU and SAP, the head of the presidential faction said: “It is NABU, as far as I know, that is leading this case. This is an independent body. I don’t think anyone in the country can say that he has influence on NABU.” And he added: “If you think that there is some kind of big betrayal in this, then let me not do it. I will leave, I will ask someone else from my friends from Nikolaev.”
We remind you that Boris Kaufman is a defendant in criminal proceedings by NABU and SAPO. In August 2023, Kaufman received suspicion of seizing the property of the municipal Odessa airport and the income it brought in - UAH 2.5 billion. On September 7, the High Anti-Corruption Court took Kaufman into custody. After an appeal, in November the VAKS judge changed the bail amount to UAH 155 million and Kaufman was released from custody.
