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Advice from fortune tellers on appointing ministers? Zelensky's former aide appears in court for money laundering, details revealed
2026-05-13 16:15:02 / BOTA
The Ukrainian president's former chief of staff, Andrey Yermak, who was indicted this week in a money laundering investigation, consulted a spiritual leader while considering candidates for top government positions, according to evidence presented by prosecutors.
Yermak - a close associate of Ukrainian President Volodymyyr Zelensky - resigned last year amid growing investigations into his alleged links to businessman Timur Mindich, who fled to Israel shortly before being accused of organizing a large-scale embezzlement scheme at a state-owned energy company.
During a court hearing on Tuesday, prosecutors revealed details about Yermak's reported interest in occult practices, claiming that it may have influenced personnel decisions at the highest levels of government.
According to investigators, one of his contacts appeared in the messaging records under the name “Veronika Fengshui Office.” Prosecutors allege that Yermak sent the birth dates of potential appointees — without naming them directly — to ask if they were suitable for the job.
Feng shui is a traditional Chinese practice focused on arranging spaces and objects to promote harmony and the flow of vital energy. While it is widely used as inspiration for interior design, in some circles it has also been associated with fortune telling, spiritualism, and other mystical practices.
According to the prosecution, Yermak sought Veronika's opinion on candidates for the posts of prime minister, prosecutor general, health minister and even his deputy responsible for overseeing law enforcement agencies. Prosecutors cited the communications while arguing that Yermak should remain in custody because of his alleged ability to influence witnesses and interfere with the investigation.
Further details emerged during the hearings that resumed on Wednesday, when the prosecutor identified the spiritual advisor by her full name and cited some of the messages she and Yermak allegedly exchanged. The records show that she urged him to stay in power at all costs, which he vowed to do.
Accusations of mystical beliefs within Ukraine's leadership were previously raised by Zelensky's former press secretary, Yulia Mendel, who has since emerged as a vocal critic of the administration.
In January, Mendel alleged that Yermak had relied on occult rituals for years and allegedly invited practitioners from outside to perform ceremonies involving so-called “corpse water.” She suggested that other people close to Zelensky also had an interest in mystical practices, although she did not publicly identify them.
The corruption case against Yermak centers on a luxury suburban real estate development that investigators say was financed with illicit funds. Part of the case referred to an alleged scheme that involved the illegal extraction of sand from a cemetery for use in construction.
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