Ukrainian MP attempted to offer a Bitcoin bribe worth $50,000

Officers NABU detained a member of the Ukrainian parliament during an attempt to bribe a government official with bitcoins.

1/3 #НАБУ, #САП викрили низку злочинів у сфері відновлення. У спробі підкупу топпосадовця біткойнами підозрюється нардеп. Він просив сприяння в отриманні коштів з фонду ліквідації наслідків збройної агресії рф на ремонт підконтрольного йому об’єкта?https://t.co/waNYaIQH9x pic.twitter.com/loj6AOVGvs

— NAB Ukraine (@nab_ukr) November 21, 2023

According to the case materials, the MP proposed to Mustafa Nayem, head of the State Agency for Restoration and Development of Ukraine, $50,000 in bitcoins in exchange for assistance in obtaining funds from the fund for eliminating the consequences of Russia’s armed aggression for the repair of an infrastructure facility under his control.

In the agency, it was clarified that the arrest of the MP occurred with Nayem’s assistance, after receiving the first tranche of $10,000.

NABU did not identify the name of the suspect, however the local publication «Бабель» reports that it is MP Andriy Odarchenko. He serves on the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Anti-Corruption Policy.

The suspect has been formally notified of the suspicion. The investigation continues.

This is the first documented NABU case of an attempted bribe paid in crypto assets.

Earlier, the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine stated about a focus on blockchain in the fight against corruption.

In February 2020, in Zhytomyr, a cyberpoliceman was detained for extorting a bribe in bitcoins.