The Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP) has filed a lawsuit with the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) to recognize assets linked to Oleksiy Kuleba, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration and Minister for Communities and Territories Development, as unsubstantiated and seize them for the state. The lawsuit targets property valued at nearly 5 million UAH, which investigators allege the official acquired and registered under his sister’s name. Financial audits revealed that the official and his family lacked the legitimate income to justify the purchase.
The civil forfeiture lawsuit is built upon evidence gathered by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU). According to the investigation, the real estate scheme began in 2021, while Oleksiy Kuleba was serving as the First Deputy Chairman of the Kyiv City State Administration (KMDA).
During that period, he allegedly used his biological sister as a proxy to sign preliminary purchase agreements for an apartment and a parking space in Kyiv. The transaction was finalized in 2023, by which time Kuleba had transitioned to the role of Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine.
«The official ensured the execution of the purchase agreements for the specified properties, their state registration, and the signing of service agreements for the apartment and parking space, involving his personal driver in the process,» prosecutors stated.
A thorough financial analysis of the official income and expenditures of Oleksiy Kuleba and his immediate family confirmed a stark discrepancy between their legal earnings and the value of the acquired real estate. Under Ukrainian anti-corruption law, assets whose legal origin cannot be proven are subject to civil forfeiture.
Based on these findings, SAP prosecutors are requesting the HACC to declare the assets unsubstantiated and seize them from the nominal owner—the Minister’s sister—into state revenue. The High Anti-Corruption Court will review the case to issue a final ruling on the matter.