Ukraine's anti-corruption court on Thursday ordered the pretrial detention of Andriy Yermak, a close ally of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on suspicion of money laundering, according to prosecutors.
The court set bail at 140 million hryvnias ($3.19 million, €2.72 million), allowing Yermak to be released pending a final ruling in his case. Yermak denies the allegations.
"I don't have that kind of money, and my lawyer will now work with friends and acquaintances (to raise the money for bail)," Yermak told reporters after the court's decision. "My legal team will file an appeal. We will use every legal avenue to seek justice and the truth."
Yermak, Zelenskyy's former chief of staff, had been Ukraine's lead negotiator in talks with the United States. He stepped down in November last year amid a corruption probe.
Investigation widens to Zelenskyy inner circle
Prosecutors accuse Yermak of involvement in a 460-million-hryvnia money-laundering scheme linked to a housing development outside Kyiv. The case is being handled by Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office.
The investigation is part of a broader probe by Ukraine's anti-graft agencies that investigators say involves officials and associates close to Zelenskyy in an alleged $100 million kickback scheme.
Ukrainian anti-graft agency investigates top Zelenskyy aide
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Investigators allege the officials pressured contractors to pay up to 15% in kickbacks in exchange for construction business with Energoatom, the state-owned nuclear energy company.
Zelenskyy has not been implicated in the probe.
Who is Andriy Yermak?
Yermak's home was raided in November 2025 as part of the investigation, according to authorities.
He resigned shortly after the raid amid a broader government shake-up that officials said was aimed at restoring trust in the president's office.
Yermak has long been close to Zelenskyy, dating back to the president's years as a TV comedian. He helped steer Zelenskyy's outsider bid for the presidency in 2019.
Yermak later led Kyiv's team in tense US-backed peace negotiations and developed possible scenarios for a ceasefire to end Russia's war in Ukraine.
