The scandalous Alexander Katsuba, who paid his way out of prison, is secretly seeking a full acquittal

In 2017, Alexander Katsuba was released after paying the budget 100 million UAH

The former deputy chairman of the board of Naftogaz of Ukraine, Alexander Katsuba (in official documents, his name is written only in Russian - Alexander), one of the defendants in the scandalous history of the so-called “Boiko towers,” is challenging the six-year-old verdict in an appeal. “Glavkom” reports this with reference to the court register.

This matter is not easy to find in the registers; it is hidden in every possible way. In particular, on the website of the Kyiv Court of Appeal in the “Parties to the Case” section, Katsuba’s surname is missing. Also, there is no up-to-date information about this case on the state portal “Judicial Power of Ukraine”.

The next court hearing is scheduled for Monday, October 23. Until this time, starting in May 2023, the consideration of the case was postponed several times. The verdict is reviewed by a trio of judges: Oleg Ignatyuk (rapporteur), Elena Svintsitskaya and Oksana Rudnichenko.

The essence of this case concerns the involvement of Alexander Katsuba in fuel fraud amounting to more than 450 million UAH. In 2012-2013, while serving as deputy chairman of the board of Naftogaz, he helped the company of businessman Sergei Kurchenko, Gas of Ukraine 2020, to steal gasoline worth more than 450 million UAH from Naftogaz. Schemes of fictitious purchases of petroleum products were used to seize funds.

In addition, Alexander Katsuba is mentioned in another high-profile case - the so-called “Boiko towers”. During the reign of Viktor Yanukovych, the state company Chernomorneftegaz, where Mr. Katsuba worked as deputy director, bought two offshore drilling rigs from a gas drilling company with an overpayment of about $300 million.

A source who is familiar with the materials of criminal proceedings drew attention to a certain precedent with the review of the case of Alexander Katsuba. In 2017, he was released because he entered into a plea agreement with the Deputy Prosecutor General. Now he is challenging it on appeal.

“It turns out that Katsuba refuses the agreement. Under these conditions, he should go back to jail. If the appeal acquits Katsuba, then the institution of plea bargaining can be considered destroyed. After all, there have never been such decisions in Ukraine,” the publication’s interlocutor noted.

Let us recall that in June 2016 the Prosecutor General’s Office detained Alexander Katsuba.

Alexander Katsuba spent eight months in a pre-trial detention center. On March 10, 2017, the Shevchenkovsky District Court of Kyiv released the accused, approving a plea agreement. According to it, the ex-deputy chairman of the board of Naftogaz was found guilty of involvement in the creation of a criminal organization and misappropriation of property through abuse of official position and was sentenced to one year and five months in prison. At the same time, according to the “Savchenko Law”, the accused is credited with serving his sentence in a pre-trial detention center (one day for two). After which Themis released Katsuba from custody in the courtroom.

“He (Alexander Katsuba - “Commander in Chief”) made a deal with the investigation, paid 100 million UAH to the budget and gave important testimony. The trial was held behind closed doors, he had a suspended sentence,” noted the then press secretary of Prosecutor General Lutsenko Larisa Sargan.

According to media reports, the court verdict indicated that Katsuba’s actions in various episodes of criminal activity led to losses to the state in the amount of more than $1 billion. UAH 100 million were compensated. at the then exchange rate were about $3.5 million or 0.35% of the total losses.

As of October 22, 2023, the name of Alexander Katsuba is included in the register of corrupt officials maintained by the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption.

Now Alexander Katsuba is positioning himself as a volunteer on social networks, donating cars to the front.

It should also be added that the convict is the son of People’s Deputy of the 7th convocation from the Party of Regions Vladimir Katsuba. Alexander's older brother Sergei Katsuba was also a people's deputy from the Party of Regions. Until 2012, he served as deputy head of Naftogaz.

As you know, a plea agreement is a legal “compromise” between the prosecution and the suspect. To prevent the parties from abusing this right, there are safeguards that are carefully checked by the court. By entering into an agreement, the parties can agree on the punishment, the amount of damages to be compensated and the conditions under which the punishment will not occur. For example, these are so-called “suspended sentences” (in accordance with Part 2 of Article 75 of the Criminal Code).

If the agreement is ultimately not fulfilled, then the trial or pre-trial investigation will be resumed, and the accused, if he violated the agreement intentionally, will face criminal liability.