Herman Halushchenko

Herman Halushchenko, who served as Ukraine's Minister of Energy (2021–2025) and briefly as Minister of Justice in 2025, is currently the subject of a major corruption investigation known as Mindichgate or the Midas case. In February 2026, Halushchenko was detained by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) while attempting to cross the border on a train to Warsaw. He is formally charged with participation in a criminal organization and money laundering under Articles 255.2 and 209.3 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Prosecutors allege he facilitated a kickback scheme involving the state-owned nuclear operator Energoatom, where a criminal network reportedly collected over $100 million in bribes from contractors. Investigators claim Halushchenko personally earned $9 million through these activities between 2020 and 2025, laundering the proceeds through an offshore fund in Anguilla and accounts linked to his family in Switzerland. The High Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine has remanded him into custody with bail set at 200 million hryvnias. Halushchenko denies all allegations of wrongdoing, claiming he cannot afford the bail amount. Prior to his arrest, he resigned from his position as Justice Minister in November 2025 following public scrutiny and property searches related to the ongoing investigation.