Hetmantsev's aide Sokur tries to avoid prosecution: what's going on behind the scenes
Kyiv • UNN
Yevhen Sokur, the former acting deputy head of the State Tax Service, is trying to avoid criminal prosecution. Criminal proceedings have been opened against him and the NAPC is investigating him for violations of anti-corruption legislation.
Former acting deputy head of the State Tax Service Yevhen Sokur is trying to look for opportunities to avoid criminal liability for violations he committed while working at the tax service. UNN learned about this from its own sources in law enforcement agencies.
On January 3, the Cabinet of Ministers canceled the decision to appoint Yevhen Sokur, a former assistant to MP Danylo Hetmantsev, as acting deputy head of the State Tax Service of Ukraine. Afterward, the head of the Rada's tax committee announced that he had rehired Sokur.
"Now Sokur is worried because he understands what he is responsible for. He is now looking for possible solutions to avoid being prosecuted," the source told UNN.
Why is Sokur looking for a "compromise"?
First of all, criminal proceedings have already been opened against Sokur for an official crime. It is related to his decision to cancel the license for fuel production for PJSC Ukrtatnafta. According to the investigation, Sokur's actions caused serious consequences for the company and the state in the form of the inability to fulfill the mobilization tasks of the Ministry of Defense for the production and supply of petroleum products for the needs of defense and the state's defense capability during the war. The State Bureau of Investigation reported to UNN that this criminal proceeding is still under investigation.
Obviously, before his dismissal from the tax office, Sokur was confident of his impunity, because he did not act independently, but on the instructions of Danylo Hetmantsev and hoped that he would "cover up" for him before law enforcement.
Realizing that the loss of influence over tax officials by the head of the Rada's tax committee could signal law enforcement to act more actively, Sokur realized that his patron was unlikely to continue to protect him from the SBI.
Secondly, there is a high probability that detectives of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine became interested in Sokur and Hetmantsev's activities in the tax office. This happened after an incriminating interview with Iryna Zlenko, the former head of the Khmelnytsky Oblast Tax Service. In particular, she noted that an organized criminal group headed by Hetmantsev and his right-hand man, Yevhen Sokur, was operating in the tax office.
Thirdly, the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (NAPC) is conducting an investigation into possible violations of anti-corruption legislation by Yevhen Sokur.
Earlier, during the investigation into the alleged attempted assassination attempt, Yevhen Sokur told law enforcement officers that since 2016 he had been living with a girl named Alina in an apartment at 6-D Lobanovskoho Avenue. Following a deputy appeal from Nina Yuzhanina, a member of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Finance, Taxation and Customs Policy, the NACP launched an inspection of Yevhen Sokur . In response to a request from UNN, the Agency also confirmed that they are monitoring the official's lifestyle. Kateryna Butko, head of the Public Council at the NAPC, noted that the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption is checking whether Sokur and his partner Alina lived together.
Later, it turned out that Sokur lives with Alina Lebedieva. According to the Youcontrol system, Alina Lebedieva registered as a sole proprietor on August 3, 2022. The main KVED of activity is retail sale of flowers, plants, seeds, fertilizers, pets and pet food in specialized stores. It is worth noting that Sokur was promoted to a senior position at the tax office less than three months earlier, in May 2022. In a little over a year of work during the full-scale war, Alina Lebedieva was doing so well that on her birthday, November 1, 2023, she announced the opening of a flower boutique in the heart of the capital, in the Leonardo business center.
According to Serhiy Dorotych, head of the #SaveFOP movement, Sokur's stunning success may be due to another very interesting aspect: legalization of funds through her business.
Therefore, in addition to the NACP protocol on violation of anti-corruption legislation and inclusion in the register of corrupt officials, Sokur may also receive another criminal proceeding for legalization or laundering of illegally obtained funds.
Arrangements behind the scenes
Sokur's prospects in the near future do not look too bright. That is why, according to a UNN source, he is trying to use his connections and influence to somehow resolve the situation.
One of the key figures who may try to influence the course of the investigation is Danylo Hetmantsev. He used to publicly support Sokur, despite the latter's toxic reputation.
Experts assume that Hetmantsev, in defending Sokur, is acting not only out of friendship or trust, but also out of a desire to control a former subordinate who may have compromising information.
"Hetmantsev has not just announced it, he has already taken it back. They are just playing comedy with us," Dorotych believes.
At the same time, he does not rule out that Hetmantsev will try to "push" his protégé to a new position. "Sokur, I do not rule out that he may soon appear in some new position," he said.
The situation around Sokur continues to evolve, and his actions are attracting more and more attention from the public and anti-corruption authorities. Will Sokur manage to avoid responsibility? This question remains open, but society has the right to demand a transparent investigation and justice.