Ukrainian MP Sentenced to Eight Years for Attempted Bitcoin Bribery

On November 14, Ukraine’s High Anti-Corruption Court sentenced MP Andrey Odarchenko in absentia to eight years in prison with confiscation of property for attempting to offer a bribe in bitcoin, according to Transparency International Ukraine. 

The MP left Ukraine before the trial proceedings began but participated in the session online. 

The prosecution alleged that in August 2023, Odarchenko offered Mustafa Nayyem, then head of the State Agency for Restoration, $50,000 in bitcoin to facilitate the acquisition of funds from the liquidation fund for the consequences of Russian armed aggression. 

The deputy intended to use these funds for repairing buildings at Kharkiv State Biotechnological University, where he was the rector. 

During the court session, Odarchenko’s lawyers claimed provocation by Nayyem, who they argued has been confidentially cooperating with law enforcement since 2023. 

However, the prosecutor noted that recorded conversations between the parties showed no signs of provocation or extortion.

The court sided with the prosecution, finding the deputy guilty. In addition to the prison term and property confiscation, Odarchenko was banned from holding leadership positions in government for three years. 0.39 BTC was seized in favor of the state. 

The verdict has not yet come into legal force and may be appealed.

In October, the NACP noted the growing popularity of digital assets among Ukrainian officials.

Earlier, media reported that Bogdan Prilepa, a top manager of several Ukrainian crypto exchanges, was suspected of embezzling 1 billion hryvnias.