Ex-Ukraine Energy Minister Detained in $100 Million ‘Midas’ Kickback Scandal

Ukraine’s anti-corruption authorities have detained former energy minister German Galushchenko on accusations of laundering millions of dollars in kickbacks linked to the so-called “Midas” case. Investigators allege the scheme involved around $100 million in bribes at state nuclear company Energoatom. Galushchenko, who served as energy minister from 2021 to 2025 and briefly as justice minister before resigning last year, was reportedly stopped while attempting to leave the country. He denies wrongdoing.

According to Ukraine’s anti-corruption agency National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and its prosecutorial partner SAPO, more than $7 million was transferred into foreign accounts naming Galushchenko’s wife and four children as beneficiaries. Prosecutors say some of the funds were used to pay for elite schooling in Switzerland, while other sums were placed in deposits generating additional income for the family. The broader probe has implicated senior officials and business figures, including associates of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

The scandal has shaken Kyiv’s wartime leadership and raised concerns among Western allies supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia. The investigation previously led to high-level political fallout, including changes within the presidential administration. As Ukraine pushes for closer integration with the European Union, tackling entrenched corruption remains a central condition for advancing its reform agenda.

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