A major corruption scandal has erupted in Khmelnytskyi, western Ukraine, as authorities detained Tetyana Krupá, the head of the local Medical Center, on charges of accepting bribes to provide medical exemptions for conscription. Allegedly linked to President Volodymyr Zelensky's party, Krupá's arrest revealed staggering sums of money, including over $6 million in cash and numerous luxury assets, raising alarms about systemic corruption among officials as the country faces ongoing conflict and military mobilization.
A huge corruption case was uncovered in Khmelnytskyi, western Ukraine, with authorities detaining the head of the Hmelnytskyi County Medical Center over allegations he accepted huge sums of money to offer medical exemptions to Ukrainian men to avoid being conscripted.
The official, Tetyana Krupá, was responsible for medical examinations in the area, according to Trancarpathian news outlet Kárpáti Igaz Szó, which produces news in the Hungarian language. The paper reveals that the suspect is also the Khmelnytskyi county representative of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s party, the Servant of the People.
During a search of the official’s home, the man was found with various currencies worth a total of $6 million, which is an extraordinary sum for Ukraine. Officers found $5.24 million, €300,000, and 5 million hryvnias, which is Ukraine’s currency. In addition, jewelry and other valuables were seized.
During the arrest, authorities claim Krupá tried tossing bags of money out the window containing half a million dollars. A photo of his son arrested among stacks of money strewn across his bed has also been published, although it is unclear if the son was found like this by police or the photo was staged, possibly to shame the arrested family members. A video was also published with the son lying on the bed with the money.
Investigators also determined Krupá owns 30 properties in Khmelnytskyi, Lviv and Kyiv; has nine luxury cars; owns a hotel and restaurant complex; has properties in Austria, Spain and Turkey; and holds another $2.3 million in foreign accounts.
The official in Zelensky’s party is accused of accumulating huge sums of money by illegally extorting men who were seeking a disability designation to avoid military service.
Forged medical documents were found in Krupa’s office, including lists of those avoiding mobilization with fictitious diagnoses. There are also pending charges of high-value fraud, money laundering, misrepresentation and illicit enrichment.
Notably, in Krupá’s own family, all the male members were also listed as “disabled,” at least according to the official exemptions issued by Krupá, which meant none of them had to partake in military service.
A Ukrainian anti-corruption website known as Anticor notes that the entire Krupa family were employed as public servants.
The case is surely to spark further public outrage within Ukraine over the fact that men are being rounded up off the streets to fight on the frontlines while corrupt officials and oligarchs avoid the brunt of the fighting that has claimed hundreds of thousands of casualties, destroyed the Ukrainian economy, and led to the country’s worst demographic crisis in its entire history.
As of October 2023, the fallout from this scandal has intensified public outcry over corruption within Ukraine's government, particularly as the nation grapples with the consequences of war. The case has sparked debates about accountability and the integrity of public service, especially in light of the ongoing mobilization efforts that have thrust many men into front-line combat while corrupt officials evade service. The investigation is expected to widen, potentially implicating additional officials and further igniting calls for reform in Ukraine's public sector.
