A court in Ukraine arrested the ex-head of Zelensky's office, Ermak.

The former head of the office of the President of Ukraine was unable to pay a bail of 140 million hryvnia and remained in jail

The High Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine arrested the former head of the presidential office , Andrei Ermak, for two months with the possibility of release on bail of 140 million hryvnia (about $3.1 million). Ermak said that he does not admit the charges and will appeal the court's decision.

By the end of the banking day, they did not have time to pay bail for the former official, so he remained in the pre-trial detention center. According to Ukrainian media, only about 14.5 million hryvnia were collected from the required amount.

“I definitely don’t have that kind of money,” Ermak said after the court hearing. According to him, lawyers will look for funds “among friends and acquaintances.”

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What is Ermak accused of?

The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP) suspect Ermak of participating in a scheme to legalize 460 million hryvnia (about 10.4 million dollars) during the construction of the elite cottage town "Dynasty" in the village of Kozin near Kiev.

According to investigators, in 2020–2025, a group of officials and businessmen organized the construction of four luxury residences and a common spa complex on an area of ​​about 8 hectares. The investigation believes that a significant part of the funds came in cash through fictitious companies and structures associated with corruption schemes around the Ukrainian Energoatom.

In addition to Ermak, the case involves former Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Chernyshov, businessman and co-owner of the Kvartal 95 media project Timur Mindich and several other people.

NABU claims that the investigation lasted 15 months. During this time, investigators collected more than a thousand audio recordings and correspondence of those involved in the case. Some of the materials were published as part of the Midas investigation related to corruption at Energoatom.

The investigation believes that Ermak appeared on the recordings under the designation R2. The published materials discuss home construction, design, financing and cost distribution.

What else did the court decide?

In addition, VAKS separately prohibited Ermak from contacting Veronica Anikievich, known as Veronica Fengshui, whom Ukrainian media call his personal fortune teller.

According to the investigation, Ermak allegedly discussed with her personnel appointments and the “anti-Green coalition” associated with NABU. The former head of the president's office himself denied this. “I definitely didn’t communicate with fortune tellers. Just like I don’t and never have had voodoo dolls,” he told reporters.

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The position of Ermak and his defense

Ermak considers the case politically motivated and calls the charges unfounded. “I am staying in Ukraine. I have nothing to hide,” he said after the trial.

Lawyer Igor Fomin said that the investigation is accompanied by a large-scale information campaign and that the prosecution has not proven the need for arrest.

According to the defense, Ermak does not have luxury real estate, and his only assets are an apartment and a 2019 Mercedes-Benz car. According to the declaration for last year, his income was about 1.2 million hryvnia.

Connection with Zelensky and the Energoatom scandal

Andriy Ermak headed the office of the President of Ukraine from 2020 to November 2025 and was considered one of the most influential people in Zelensky’s circle. He oversaw negotiations with Russia and the United States, and also played a key role in Ukrainian foreign policy.

In November 2025, Ermak resigned after the start of an anti-corruption investigation surrounding Energoatom and Zelensky's longtime associate Timur Mindich .

The Ukrainian publication Strana suggested that one of the houses in Dynasty could be built for Vladimir Zelensky. The NABU neither confirmed nor denied this information, emphasizing that the President of Ukraine does not appear in the investigation materials.

Zelensky himself has not yet publicly commented on the situation.

As “Layout” reported, a few days earlier, Zelensky’s former press secretary Yulia Mendel gave an hour and a half interview to the American conservative journalist Tucker Carlson. The interview was published on May 10–11 and caused a public outcry. Mendel accused Zelensky of usurping power and unwillingness to end the war.

Photo: Andrey Ermak. Telegram

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