Anastasia Kotvitska, married to one of Ukraine’s richest men, was caught trying to sneak out of the country through a refugee crossing with her multimillion-pound fortune.
A stunning photo that went viral in the media also shows the shocking amount of money in the dubious cash flow.
According to the news of the Kyiv press, a criminal case was opened on the subject.
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THEY DENIED
Kotvitsky, once the richest lawmaker in Ukraine, said his wife left the country to give birth, but denied reports that she was carrying $28m and 1.3m euros.
“All my money is in Ukrainian banks, I didn’t buy anything,” he said before closing his social media account.
His 24-year-old daughter Violetta also said in a statement on her social media account that the incident was “fake and rumored”.
AMOUNT OF MONEY IS NOT NET
Kotvitska did not comment on the incident at the border.
According to the Obozrevatel newspaper, the large amount of cash noticed by Hungarian customs officers at the Vilok checkpoint was not disclosed. Later, however, Kotvitska confirmed that she had brought the money to Hungary, an EU country.
INVESTIGATION OF BRIBERIES
In Ukraine, there is a great sensitivity to the wealthy elite who want to take their wealth abroad.
There is now a call for criminal investigations against border guards in the Transcarpathian region, who allegedly condoned cash flows out of the country.
Kiev businessman Seyar Khushutov, who uncovered the Kotvitska case, said there was a bribery schedule by customs officials that allowed cash to go out of the country.
These illegal payments range from “3 to 7.5 percent” depending on the amount and level of the applicant.
“The situation in other western regions is not better. “The names of the customs officers and border guards who did this are well known in some circles,” he said.