Operations “Forrest Gump” and “Femida” (Themis) — a detailed look at raiding

On 19 August 2026, NABU and SAPO launched the special operation “Forrest Gump”, which was primarily focused on money laundering. The following day, 20 August, they published additional materials under the name “Femida” (in Ukrainian — Феміда, the ancient Greek goddess of justice Themis). This part reveals a large-scale raiding scheme (corporate raiding / illegal seizure of enterprises and property).

According to NABU’s version, the criminal group (led by members of parliament and a former member of parliament) used administrative rather than violent methods. The main steps were as follows:

Hackers, posing as authorised state registrars, gained the ability to penetrate the register of legal entities of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine. They entered forged documents and false information that “transferred” ownership rights from the real owners to front persons (often bodyguards of the organisers or other subordinates).

Court rulings were also forged in order to legitimise the seizures. After that, the organisers initiated criminal cases and secured the “freezing” of shares or property in order to prevent the real owners from attempting to regain control.

To retain power over the seized objects, they used influence over officials of the Ministry of Justice and the courts.

Specific episodes and sums

In the autumn of 2025 the organisation carried out a raider seizure of two enterprises. The value of the assets of these enterprises exceeded 248 million hryvnias (approximately 5.5 million US dollars). One of the main goals was to gain control over real estate in the centre of Kyiv valued at more than 500 million hryvnias (approximately 11 million US dollars).

In May 2026 the group attempted to seize another real-estate complex in Kyiv valued at more than 207 million hryvnias (approximately 4.6 million US dollars). This attempt failed.

One of the seized companies was linked to the construction firm “Philosophy Development”. In October 2025 the ultimate beneficial owner in the register was changed to a citizen of Uzbekistan who, in the investigators’ opinion, was a front person.

A co-organiser of the organisation (a sitting member of parliament) invested at least 514 thousand US dollars in the scheme. This money was spent on hackers, court proceedings and the bribery of law-enforcement bodies and judges (in NABU’s wording — bribes).

In the recordings published by NABU on 20 August it is evident that one of the main figures of the criminal group is Iryna Mudra (at that time Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Zelenskyy for legal issues), who used her high position to facilitate this criminal scheme. According to the investigators’ version, it was precisely she who influenced officials of the Ministry of Justice and helped to “arrange” irreversible changes in the registers. In one of the fragments she allegedly says that she “wrote an article for herself” (meaning a legal justification).

The leadership of the organisation was exercised by Vadym Stolar and Maksym Mykytas.
Mudra and Viktor Dubovyk (Director-General of the Directorate for Legal Policy of the Office of the President) figure as high-ranking accomplices from state structures.

“Forrest Gump”
Both operations concern one and the same criminal organisation. “Forrest Gump” was devoted to the laundering of 150 million hryvnias through Sense Bank (as bail for Halushchenko), but in the course of the investigation it was established that “Femida” revealed that this same group was simultaneously engaged in large-scale raiding.

NABU emphasises that the goal was not simply the takeover of a business, but the seizure of expensive real estate in the centre of Kyiv by exploiting the weak points of state institutions.

The investigation continues. Charges have been brought against the suspects under articles on the creation of a criminal organisation, misappropriation of property, unlawful takeover of an enterprise, forgery of documents and interference in the computer systems of state registers. Court hearings are under way regarding the measure of restraint for Mykytas.

NABU has published a video with fragments of the recordings and photographs from the searches (large sums of cash). Information continues to be supplemented.

Iryna Romanivna Mudra (born in 1975 in Drohobych district, Lviv region) is a Ukrainian lawyer and a former high-ranking official.
From 2022 to 2024 she worked as Deputy Minister of Justice.
From 30 March 2024 to 19 August 2026 she held the post of Deputy Head of the Office of the President (OP) and was responsible for legal policy, judicial reform, the creation of the Special Tribunal against Russia and mechanisms of international compensation.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed her on 19 August 2026 (Decree No. 734/2026) on the same day that the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) conducted the searches.

On 19 August 2026 NABU and SAPO launched the special operation named “Forrest Gump” (the name is taken from a phrase heard in the recordings to the effect that “only idiots register stolen money in the names of children”).

Searches took place at the premises of Mudra, member of parliament Vadym Stolar, former member of parliament Maksym Mykytas and the management of Sense Bank (a state bank, formerly Alfa-Bank).

Mudra was notified of suspicion. According to her and her lawyers, she was not detained; she is preparing for trial and claims that she is cooperating with the investigation. NABU published photographs from the searches showing large sums of cash in the premises and cars.

The following day, 20 August 2026, NABU published additional materials (operation “Femida” or “Themis”) concerning raiding — the illegal seizure of enterprises and real estate.

Main articles of the indictment under the Criminal Code of Ukraine:

Money laundering (Article 209) — the “Forrest Gump” episode.
Raiding / unlawful seizure of property (Articles 191, 206-2, 358, 361 and others) plus creation of a criminal organisation (Article 255) — the “Femida” episode.
Specifically:

In the money-laundering episode approximately 150 million hryvnias (approximately 3.3–3.4 million US dollars) in cash were legalised through Sense Bank and the accounts of four fictitious companies (Hiran Konstrakt, Tetras Optima, Skait Riteil, Pelet Servis).
These funds were paid on 29 June 2026 as bail for the former Minister of Energy and Justice Herman Halushchenko (he features in the previous major “Midas” case involving bribes of approximately 100 million US dollars at Energoatom).

In the raiding episodes in the autumn of 2025 two enterprises with assets exceeding 248 million hryvnias (approximately 5.5 million US dollars) were seized. The aim was real estate in central Kyiv valued at more than 500 million hryvnias.
In May 2026 an attempt was made to seize real estate in Kyiv valued at more than 207 million hryvnias (approximately 4.6 million US dollars).

The methods included forged documents, hackers’ interference in state registers, forged court decisions and influence over the Ministry of Justice.

In the recordings published by NABU conversations can be heard about how “corruption should not be fought but controlled and systematised”, about the destruction of evidence, the use of telephones and influence over institutions.

Main suspects and mentioned persons (according to NABU, SAPO and media sources):

Vadym Stolar — sitting member of parliament (formerly from the banned OPZZh party).
Maksym Mykytas — former member of parliament, construction businessman (he was in Mudra’s house at the time of the searches).
Mykola Hladyshenko — Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Sense Bank.
Oleh Stupak — Chairman of the Management Board of Sense Bank.
Viktor Dubovyk — Director-General of the Directorate for Legal Policy of the Office of the President.
Olena Ferens — Deputy Minister of Justice.
Vasyl Astion — businessman, former local deputy.
Several persons connected with Mykytas (bodyguards, drivers and other subordinates).

The case is, incidentally, also linked to the previous “Midas” case, in which Tymur Mindich (a close business partner of Zelenskyy who managed to flee Ukraine) and Halushchenko feature.

The laundered sum amounts to 150 million hryvnias (approximately 3.3–3.4 million US dollars).
In the raiding episodes the value of the seized assets exceeds 248 million hryvnias, plus attempts involving 207 million and a target of over 500 million hryvnias. These are preliminary figures that will be clarified in the course of the investigation. The overall value of the schemes in this case amounts to tens to hundreds of millions of hryvnias (and not billions, as has been reported in some media).

NABU has published photographs of the large sums of cash that were found, but the exact official “seized” amount from the searches has not yet been published in detail.

Status (as of 20 August 2026)
The case is at the pre-trial stage. Court hearings are under way regarding the measure of restraint for Mykytas (the prosecution is requesting detention with bail of 200 million hryvnias). Mudra states that she will defend herself in court and rejects the accusations.

This case forms part of a series of anti-corruption operations that, unfortunately, also affect the highest echelons of the Office of the President and the government.
Information continues to be clarified and updated.

There is a war going on. This is not about petty swindlers, but about corruption at the highest level of the state.
At a time when the inhabitants of all European countries are donating cent by cent or euro by euro in support of Ukraine, when thousands of Ukrainian defenders are lying in trenches and standing on the open front against the invaders, this latest of the known corruption scandals forces one to ask the question — what punishment do these people deserve?