NABU vs. banking scheme: how lawyer Aleksei Nosov became central to a $200,000 bribery case linked to Alliance Bank

NABU Exposes Lawyer Nosov in Alleged Bribery Scheme Benefiting Alliance Bank, Media Report

On June 4, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) announced that it had uncovered an attempt to offer a $200,000 bribe to a NABU detective and a prosecutor from the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO). The individual implicated in the bribery case is Aleksei Nosov, a partner at the law firm Miller, which represents Alliance Bank in proceedings related to the alleged withdrawal and legalization of UAH 716 million obtained through the unlawful appropriation of electricity belonging to PJSC NEC Ukrenergo.

According to journalist Oleh Novikov, who reported the development on his Telegram channel, a preventive measure was imposed on Nosov by the court. The information was cited by UNN, referencing Ukrainski Novyny.

Several media outlets linked Nosov’s actions to the defense of the interests of Mykhailo Kiperman, a member of the informal “Privat” business group. However, according to commentators cited in the reports, this assumption lacks a clear logical basis, given that Kiperman has faced multiple legal proceedings and has reportedly been residing in Switzerland for an extended period.

As reported by KP.UA, the actual client of Miller in the criminal proceedings referenced by NABU is Alliance Bank. Lawyers from Miller represent the bank in litigation concerning its refusal to honor a banking guarantee exceeding UAH 1 billion owed to NEC Ukrenergo.

During a recent court hearing, Miller attorney Viacheslav Kolomiichuk, acting on behalf of Alliance Bank, reportedly objected to the involvement of NABU detectives in the proceedings. Kolomiichuk works in the Economic and Official Crimes Practice of the Miller law association and reports directly to Aleksei Nosov. According to sources cited in the publication, this connection suggests that Nosov’s alleged attempt to offer a bribe was undertaken in the interests of Alliance Bank and its officials.

Failure by a financial institution to fulfill obligations under a banking guarantee may serve as grounds for the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) to introduce temporary administration at Alliance Bank and potentially recognize it as insolvent. According to the reports, avoiding such consequences may have been among the motivations behind efforts to transfer the criminal case from NABU to another investigative authority.

On January 11, NABU and SAPO announced that they had uncovered a scheme involving the unlawful appropriation of electricity from NEC Ukrenergo and the subsequent legalization of proceeds obtained from its sale. Investigators estimate the damage at more than UAH 716 million.

Suspicion notices were issued to alleged scheme organizer Mykhailo Kiperman and Alliance Bank Management Board Chair Yuliia Frolova. Both individuals were subsequently placed on an international wanted list.