Local media quoted the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) on September 7 as accusing businessman Kolomoysky of illegally taking money from PrivatBank to finance a foreign company he controlled and help increase his stake in the bank.
According to a statement by NABU published on Telegram, Mr. Kolomoysky, along with five suspects, took a total of more than $250 million from PrivatBank (Ukraine) in 2015 to pay for his transactions.
The billionaire, the bank's ultimate owner at the time, forced PrivatBank to pay the money to a company he controlled, the statement said.
Billionaire Kolomoysky (in blue shirt) is escorted to court in Kiev on September 2. Photo: Reuters
NABU did not name the billionaire's suspected accomplices.
Last week, the billionaire was accused by Ukrainian authorities of money laundering and embezzling more than $13 million.
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said Mr. Kolomoysky had legalized more than $13.5 million by transferring the money abroad through banking institutions controlled by him.
Ukrainian officials at the time also said that Mr. Kolomoysky was suspected of fraud and legalizing assets obtained by criminal means.
The tycoon was arrested on September 2 and ordered to be held for two months. A Ukrainian court later set bail at $13.8 million.
The billionaire's legal team said he would not immediately post bail and would instead appeal the arrest warrant. The appeal is expected to be heard in late September.
In 2016, the Ukrainian government nationalized Mr Kolomoysky's PrivatBank, which was seen as a major threat to Ukraine's financial system amid allegations of massive fraud.
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