Ukraine Official and Businessman Charged with Extortion over Drone Delivery
A Ukrainian State Border Guard Service official and a businessman are facing new charges for their alleged role in extorting $1 million from a drone manufacturer in exchange for unimpeded delivery of drones.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) filed new allegations against the official and businessman in connection with the extortion scheme, which involved the giving of a bribe and laundering illicit proceeds.
According to NABU, the case began when the drone manufacturer won a tender held by the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine in August 2025. However, the competitor who had counted on winning due to connections with border guards demanded $1 million from the winner for unimpeded delivery and acceptance of the equipment.
The competitor allegedly transferred 50,000 units of Tether (USDT) cryptocurrency to the State Border Guard Service official, which is valued at over 2.1 million hryvnias at the NBU exchange rate.