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| Europe |
| Ukraine police find 42 kg of gold in home of ex-energy minister |
| 2014-03-24 |
| [The Peninsula] Ukrainian police have seized 42 kilograms of gold and $4.8 million in cash during a search of the apartments of Ukraine's former Energy Minister Eduard Stavytsky, Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said on Saturday. Avakov said the searches had been conducted in connection with a corruption investigation in the energy sector. "It blew my mind when I received a report on the results this morning. How much would one have to steal, to have such a 'trifle' at home as pocket money," Avakov said in a post on Facebook. Stavytsky's career blossomed under the presidency of ousted Viktor Yanukovich and was appointed energy minister in December 2012. Ukrainian media describe Stavytsky as a member of Yanukovich's inner circle. He could not be reached for comment. Ukrainian police on Friday detained another energy official - the chief executive of state energy company Naftogaz, Yevhen Bakulin, as part of the investigation into corruption that it says may have cost the Ukrainian state about $4 billion. Naftogaz is responsible for the import and distribution of Russian natural gas in Ukraine. It also holds a monopoly on the shipment of gas from Russia's Gazprom via Ukraine to Europe. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #7 ..oops, did I say "official"? I meant corruptocrat.. |
| Posted by: Uncle Phester 2014-03-24 20:37 |
| #6 ..42kg = 1,350 oz Troy (apx) @$1,300/oz = $1,755,000 U.S. (apx) Great headline and nothing to sneeze at, but not a huge stash considering a high-level govt. official.. |
| Posted by: Uncle Phester 2014-03-24 20:36 |
| #5 Heck, here they just put the stuff in their 'reelection campaign' stash which they get to cash out after 'retiring' from Congress. Or speakers fees, or book deals, or Board of directors jobs etc. |
| Posted by: BrerRabbit 2014-03-24 18:36 |
| #4 Amazing how much of that you can attract when you can rig the system to reward or protect... Things are different here. Posted by Anguper Hupomosing9418 2014-03-24 12:34| Yeah, the competition is greater. Greed's the same, but there are more piggies at the trough. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2014-03-24 15:15 |
| #3 Amazing how much of that you can attract when you can rig the system to reward or protect... Things are different here. |
| Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 2014-03-24 12:34 |
| #2 Heck, here they just put the stuff in their 'reelection campaign' stash which they get to cash out after 'retiring' from Congress. Amazing how much of that you can attract when you can rig the system to reward or protect your contributors. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2014-03-24 08:29 |
| #1 That's the problem with stealing so much that you don't know what to do with it all. The worst thing you can do is draw attention to yourself. |
| Posted by: ed in texas 2014-03-24 07:16 |