Former head of Ukraine’s Supreme Court Vsevolod Knyazev, charged with accepting a $2.7 million bribe, has been released on a UAH 18.2 million ($486,000) bail, Ukrainian anti-corruption watchdog Anti-Corruption Action Center (AntAC) reported via Telegram on Jan. 31.

On Jan. 30, the judge of the High Anti-Corruption Court reduced Knyazev’s bail from UAH 20 million to UAH 18.2 million. Today, he will be able to leave the pre-trial detention center.

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According to AntAC, it’s unlikely that anyone from Knyazev’s family could have paid the bail amount, as all his assets had been seized. In December 2023, Knyazev’s lawyers said that his family could contribute a maximum of UAH 10 million.

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On May 15, 2023, Ukraine’s Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) confirmed Knyazev was arrested in a case involving accepting a $2.7 million bribe.

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On May 16, the Supreme Court removed Knyazev from his leadership position, in a vote of no confidence.

On Oct. 4, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) reportedly completed the investigation of the case.

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