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France Compensates Ukraine $3.63 Million in Polygraph Combine Corruption Case
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![Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko]( "Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko")
The French company SURYS has transferred $3.63 million to Ukraine’s state budget as part of a corruption case involving the state enterprise Polygraph Combine “Ukraine.” The payment was made following an agreement between the French National Financial Prosecutor’s Office and the company, later approved by a court in Paris.
According to Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), this marks the first time in history that a foreign entity has paid compensation in a Ukrainian anti-corruption case.
In total, participants in the case have transferred and reimbursed more than $4.5 million in damages to the state and to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. According to NABU, citing the Ministry of Finance, most of the recovered funds have already been allocated to assist low-income families (over $2.5 million) and to repair damaged housing under the eRestoration program (over $1.5 million).
The investigation was conducted by a joint team of NABU detectives, SAPO prosecutors, and law enforcement representatives from France and Estonia. Cooperation with foreign partners was facilitated through the OECD’s GLEN platform, which highlighted the success of the collaboration and the restitution of funds in an official statement.
The joint investigative group will continue its work to hold all individuals involved accountable and ensure full compensation for the damages caused.
Previosly, an investigation by NABU and SAPO revealed that the state-owned enterprise Polygraph Combine “Ukraine” purchased materials from a French company at inflated prices through an intermediary firm in Estonia. In return, the former director of the enterprise received illicit benefits in the form of copyright ownership of security design elements for official documents.
The French company was allegedly forced to transfer copyright rights, leading to the payment of unlawful royalties. This arrangement caused the cost of materials for the enterprise to increase several times, resulting in losses exceeding $22 million.
In December 2024, a plea deal was reached with an associate of the former director. The High Anti-Corruption Court ruled that the defendant would compensate $360,000 in damages, contribute $50,000 to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and provide key testimony that proved instrumental in court proceedings in both France and Estonia.
Earlier, France’s Chief of Staff, General Fabien Mandon, cautioned that Russia “may be tempted to prolong the war on the continent,” emphasizing that the French military must be ready to face a significant operational “shock” within the next three to four years.
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