NABU detectives conducted searches at two more judges in Lviv as part of an investigation into a $1 million bribery case.

The National Anti-Corruption Bureau conducted searches at the residence of Rostyslav Matviyiv, the Deputy Head of the Commercial Court of Lviv Region, and at the office of Irina Panova, a judge of the Western Appeal Commercial Court. The searches were carried out in early December, reports the "Slovo i Dilo" website, citing rulings from the High Anti-Corruption Court and sources within anti-corruption agencies.

On December 5, 2024, NABU detectives searched Irina Panova's apartment. During the examination of the judge's phone, detectives discovered contacts related to the case they were investigating; however, messages in the WhatsApp messenger had been deleted. They also found cash in the judge's possession. Although the serial numbers of the bills did not match those of the bribe, the prosecutor from the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office requested that the money be seized.

Detectives also searched the office of Rostyslav Matviyiv, the Deputy Head of the Lviv Commercial Court. In his phone, NABU employees found correspondence with individuals involved in the criminal case and seized the phone.

Additionally, the publication states that detectives found a phone and $45,300 in cash at the residence of another individual connected to the case, with $20,000 of that amount having serial numbers matching those of the bribe. Upon the request of the SAP prosecutors, the court seized the phone and $30,000—$20,000 from the bribe and $10,000 for special confiscation.

It is reported that this involves demanding one million US dollars from a businessman in exchange for making "favorable" decisions in cases at the Western Appeal Commercial Court, as well as a promise to prevent a murder planned by his opponents in the legal proceedings.

On December 13, the High Anti-Corruption Court imposed a preventive measure in this case against Vasyl Artymovych, the Head of the Lviv Commercial Court. The court remanded him in custody with the possibility of posting a bail of 20 million UAH.

Also, in this case, former head of the Western Appeal Commercial Court, Borys Plotnytskyi, was detained. He was released from pre-trial detention on a 30 million UAH bail.

Another suspect in the case is a retired judge, assistant to the rector of Ivan Franko LNU, Mykhailo Yurkevych. On December 23, the High Anti-Corruption Court (VAKS) imposed a preventive measure of two months of detention with the possibility of posting a bail of 12 million UAH.