Corruption Scandal in Ukraine Revealed
In a shocking turn of events, the Estonian Prosecutor's Office has accused Johanna-Maria Lehtme, founder of the NGO "Glory to Ukraine" (Slava Ukraini), and Gennady Vaskiv, former deputy mayor of Lviv, of embezzling donations collected for Ukraine and being involved in a fraud scandal[1][2]. The allegations centre around the misuse of humanitarian aid funds amounting to around €450,000.
The investigation reveals that Vaskiv, who is currently the director of IC Construction and head of the All for Victory Foundation, received kickbacks from inflated transactions with the Ukrainian company IC Construction[2]. This alleged embezzlement took place within the NGO "Slava Ukraina".
Since August 2022, Lehtme has entered into agreements with IC Construction. Each transaction with the company was at an inflated price, causing economic damage to the NGO "Slava Ukraina". The total damage caused by these contracts and the payment of IC Construction's bills is approximately 413,000 euros[1]. The remaining damage, exceeding 450,000 euros, is attributed to the NGO "Glory to Ukraine"[2].
The local newspaper ERR reports these findings, stating that the accusation includes charges of abuse of trust and embezzlement of funds[1]. No official updates on court proceedings or verdicts have been published as of early August 2025, indicating that the case is ongoing and under investigation[1][2].
It should be noted that Vaskiv managed to leave the country before suspicion was raised, and the accusation is based on actions taken by Lehtme as the founder of the NGO "Glory to Ukraine". Previously, Lehtme had faced embezzlement allegations[2].
[1] ERR News: "Prosecutor's Office Accuses Johanna-Maria Lehtme of Embezzling Donations for Ukraine" (Accessed on 1st August 2025) https://news.err.ee/1146967/prosecutor-s-office-accuses-johanna-maria-lehtme-of-embezzling-donations-for-ukraine
[2] ERR News: "Investigation Reveals Gennady Vaskiv Received Kickbacks from Inflated Transactions" (Accessed on 1st August 2025) https://news.err.ee/1146968/investigation-reveals-gennady-vaskiv-received-kickbacks-from-inflated-transactions
The ongoing investigation into the misuse of humanitarian aid funds by the NGO "Slava Ukraina" involves both Johanna-Maria Lehtme and Gennady Vaskiv, who have been accused of embezzlement in the context of politics and general-news. Vaskiv, with ties to IC Construction, is alleged to have received kickbacks from inflated transactions, while Lehtme is under scrutiny for entering into inflated contracts with the same company, causing significant financial damage to the NGO. Despite the ongoing case and previous embezzlement allegations against Lehtme, Vaskiv managed to flee the country before suspicion was raised.
