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The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine has seized crypto assets worth $1.5 million from Yury Shchigol, ex-chief of the Special Communications Service. 
Shchigol, along with his deputy Victor Zhor, is <a href="https://nabu.gov.ua/news/zavolod-nnia-62-mln-grn-pri-zakup-vl-programnogo-zabezpechennia-p-dozriu-t-sia-ker-vnitctvo-derzhspetczviazku/" data-type="link" data-id="https://nabu.gov.ua/news/zavolod-nnia-62-mln-grn-pri-zakup-vl-programnogo-zabezpechennia-p-dozriu-t-sia-ker-vnitctvo-derzhspetczviazku/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accused</a> of misappropriating approximately $1.8 million in government funds. The pair’s alleged scheme involved the Special Communications Service—responsible for inter-governmental communications—overpaying for software and services from two unnamed firms. 
These purchases, intentionally made without open auction to evade transparency, resulted in the government paying 285 million hryvnias — around $7.8 million — for services that cost significantly less, totaling 223 million hryvnias, or $6.1 million. The difference, its <a href="https://t.me/nab_ukraine/2244" data-type="link" data-id="https://t.me/nab_ukraine/2244" target="_blank">claimed</a>, was pocketed by Shchigol and Zhor. 
 You might also like: <a href="https://crypto.news/ukraines-ministry-hopes-blockchain-can-dismantle-corruption/"> Ukraine’s ministry hopes blockchain can dismantle corruption </a> 
The assets seized from Shchigol include 6.9 BTC, 1.2 million USDT and 331 TRX. Zhor has also been arrested, as <a href="https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/sud-areshtuvav-kriptovalyutu-ku-znayshli-1701361908.html" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/sud-areshtuvav-kriptovalyutu-ku-znayshli-1701361908.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> by Ukrainian news agency RBC. 
This incident is reflective of a broader trend among Ukrainian officials’ engagement with cryptocurrency. In 2021, various civil servants <a href="https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2021/04/07/crypto-whale-watching-could-become-a-thing-at-ukrainian-town-council-meetings/" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2021/04/07/crypto-whale-watching-could-become-a-thing-at-ukrainian-town-council-meetings/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">disclosed</a> holdings of 46,351 Bitcoin, valued then at $2.7 billion. Notably, a 19-year-old local politician, also the son of two national parliament members, <a href="https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2020/12/11/meet-the-19-year-old-ukrainian-lawmaker-with-millions-in-monero/" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2020/12/11/meet-the-19-year-old-ukrainian-lawmaker-with-millions-in-monero/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> owning $24.6 million in Monero (<a href="https://crypto.news/price/monero/">XMR</a>). 
 Read more: <a href="https://crypto.news/ukraine-lost-nearly-53b-due-to-lack-of-crypto-regulation/"> Ukraine lost nearly $53b due to lack of crypto regulation </a>

Ukraine seizes $1.5m in crypto from former official

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