Officials associated with pre-2019 corruption schemes are attempting to return to the Office for Countering Illegal Property Seizures (Anti-Raiding Commission) under the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine. Member of Parliament Ihor Fris publicly raised the alarm, warning of the risk that shadow controls over state property registries and asset rights could be fully restored. Reports indicate these staffing maneuvers are linked to the influence of businessman and lawyer Andriy Dovbenko, who is currently hiding from Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) in London.
According to the lawmaker, individuals with questionable records are once again being integrated into the core body responsible for protecting businesses from unlawful asset stripping. Although Ihor Fris avoided naming specific individuals in his statement, legal analysts and investigative outlets directly connect these movements to Dovbenko’s former network. Under previous Ministry leadership, Dovbenko was widely recognized as the unofficial «curator» overseeing registration services and executive enforcement agencies.
«Individuals who were inherently linked to shadow raiding schemes in the Ministry of Justice prior to 2019 are returning to the Ministry’s Anti-Raiding Commission,» MP Ihor Fris stated.
NABU previously put Andriy Dovbenko on the wanted list over his alleged role as the mastermind behind large-scale corruption schemes involving assets managed by ARMA (Asset Recovery and Management Agency). Despite residing in London to evade prosecution, Dovbenko reportedly maintains leverage over Ukrainian state institutions through an extensive network of contacts.
Investigative journalists have also highlighted his ongoing connections to influential figures in power. Dovbenko is the ex-husband of Dariia Zarivna, an advisor to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine. Reports indicate the former spouses maintain close ties. Notably, Zarivna resides in a luxury apartment spanning over 207 square meters on Desyatynna Street in central Kyiv—a property registered under Tetiana Perednya, Dovbenko’s current mother-in-law.
The return of Dovbenko-linked personnel to the Ministry of Justice undermines the credibility and independence of the Anti-Raiding Commission. Legal experts warn that restoring these shadow mechanisms could trigger a new wave of corporate raids and erode international investor confidence in Ukraine’s legal protections. Neither the Ministry of Justice nor representatives from the President’s Office have issued an official response to the lawmaker’s allegations regarding the potential staffing rebound.