Ukraine’s Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) has filed a lawsuit with the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) to declare assets linked to Cherkasy City Council Secretary Yuriy Trenkin unjust. The legal action targets two luxury vehicles worth over UAH 7.4 million (approx. $180,000) that were registered under his personal driver’s name.
According to the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP), the city official is the actual beneficial owner and user of a 2019 BMW X7 SUV and a 2021 Mercedes-Benz S 400 executive sedan. Prosecutors are demanding the forfeiture of both vehicles—or their full monetary value—to the state budget.
On paper, the formal owner of the luxury fleet was Trenkin’s driver, Vasyl Monastyretskyi. However, financial and anti-corruption investigators established that Trenkin held powers of attorney granting him full rights to manage and dispose of the vehicles.
Investigators gathered a robust digital trail confirming that the council secretary was the primary user of the cars:
Traffic Citations: Multiple traffic violation fines issued to Trenkin while driving the vehicles;
Financial Trails: Bank card transactions matching the exact travel routes and stops of the cars;
Investigative Reporting: Photo and video evidence collected by the local investigative news outlet 18000, documenting Trenkin’s daily use of the vehicles.
Anti-corruption officials also highlighted extreme discrepancies in the official purchase agreements. The documents valued the BMW X7 at just UAH 500,000 and the Mercedes-Benz S 400 at a mere UAH 50,000—fractions of their combined market value exceeding UAH 7.4 million. A comprehensive financial audit revealed that neither Trenkin nor his driver had sufficient lawful income to acquire such assets.
Yuriy Trenkin has rejected the allegations, maintaining that his actions were fully compliant with Ukrainian law.
“I officially lease these vehicles, transparently disclose them in my annual asset declarations, and will defend my position and the legality of my actions in the High Anti-Corruption Court,” Trenkin stated.
The case is now scheduled for hearings at the HACC. If the court rules in favor of SAPO and the NACP, the luxury vehicles will be seized and auctioned off for the benefit of the state treasury.