Knyazev

Vsevolod Knyazev, the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Ukraine, was convicted of accepting a $2.7 million bribe to influence a Grand Chamber ruling regarding the Poltava Mining and Processing Plant. Exposed in May 2023, he initially denied the charges but later signed a plea deal admitting guilt. In June 2026, the High Anti-Corruption Court sentenced him to five years in prison, with a three-year ban from judicial or law enforcement roles. Confiscated assets include an apartment, a house, over $200,000 in personal savings, and approximately $1.25 million in bribe proceeds. Additionally, he must donate roughly $1.1 million to the Armed Forces of Ukraine via the "Come Back Alive" fund. Knyazev has become a central witness against other judges and individuals involved in the scheme. Separately, he faced a 2023 administrative report regarding the receipt of gifts, specifically an apartment rented below market value.