MP Hunko imprisoned for 7 years for bribery with confiscation of all property

On March 25, 2025, the panel of judges of the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) announced a guilty verdict against the Member of the Verkhovna Rada Anatolii Hunko, who was caught illegally receiving USD 85,000 in bribes for securing the lease of state lands of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine (NAAS of Ukraine) to a private enterprise.

This is reported by Ukrainian News Agency with reference to the court verdict.

By the court verdict, Hunko was found guilty of committing crimes under Part 2 of Article 15, Part 2 of Article 28, Part 4 of Article 190 and Part 4 of Article 27, Part 2 of Article 15, Part 4 of Article 369 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, and a sentence of 7 years of imprisonment with deprivation of the right to be elected to state and local government bodies and appointed to civil service positions for a period of 3 years, with confiscation of all property belonging to him by right of ownership.

The verdict of the High Anti-Corruption Court enters into force thirty days from the date of its pronouncement, unless it is appealed to the Appeal Chamber of the High Anti-Corruption Court.

As a reminder, within the framework of the pre-trial investigation, it was established that Hunko, who was simultaneously the head of the Temporary Investigative Commission of the Verkhovna Rada on the investigation of corruption at state enterprises, institutions and organizations of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine, incited a representative of a private enterprise to provide an illegal benefit to officials of the Academy and the head of a local state authority for ensuring the provision of land plots with a total area of ​​1,700 hectares to a private enterprise, which were in permanent use of the state enterprise of the Academy of Agrarian Sciences, and for further non-obstruction of economic activity, with the aim of seizing these funds.

The MP demanded that the entrepreneur hand over a "reward" of USD 221,000, at the rate of USD 130 per 1 hectare of state land.

The MP and his two accomplices were detained "red-handed", immediately after they received part of the agreed funds, namely USD 85,000.

Materials regarding the MP's accomplices have been separated into separate proceedings.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, MP Hunko, who wanted to hide a bribe under the table, was added to the register of corrupt officials.