EX Ukrainian presidential aide talked opponents with fortune teller, court hears Photo

A court hearing in Ukraine has heard excerpts of alleged private correspondence in which former head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak reportedly discussed political opponents with a fortune teller, according to a prosecutor from the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO).

Prosecutors said the messages were exchanged between Yermak and a person saved in his phone as “Veronika Feng Shui,” identified as Veronika Anikievich. In the excerpts read in court, Yermak allegedly shared names of senior officials from Ukraine’s anti-corruption bodies, including SAPO head Oleksandr Klymenko and National Anti-Corruption Bureau director Semen Kryvonos, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

According to the prosecutor’s account, the fortune teller responded that Yermak should act decisively, stating: “Either you get them, or they get you.”

The court was also told that Yermak later sent another list of individuals, including journalists from Ukrainska Pravda—Mykhailo Tkach and Sevgil Musaeva—as well as businessman Tomas Fiala and several Ukrainian lawmakers, including Yaroslav Zheleznyak, Oleksiy Honcharenko, and Davyd Arakhamia.

In the same exchange, Yermak allegedly stated, “I’m ready for anything. I’m ready tomorrow,” while the fortune teller reportedly advised him to leave the country.

Prosecutors said the correspondence took place several weeks after Yermak was dismissed from his post following a corruption scandal. They also alleged he had previously consulted the same fortune teller regarding government appointments.

Yermak has been formally charged with money laundering, according to the prosecution. He has not publicly commented on the latest allegations presented in court.

By Sabina Mammadli