Ukrainian spy sentenced to 1 year in prison: He was caught in Serbia with millions and precious stones

Photo: D.K.

Former Ukrainian intelligence officer Andriy Naumov was sentenced today to one year in prison for money laundering.

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In June 2022, the Serbian border police found foreign currency worth more than 80 million dinars and two emerald stones in his vehicle.

The verdict was announced in a repeated proceeding. On September 29, 2023, Naumov was sentenced in the first instance to one year in prison, but the Court of Appeals, acting on the appeal of his defense, annulled the verdict and sent the case back for a retrial.

The Higher Prosecution in the town of Nis requested that Andriy Naumov be sentenced to 18 months in prison for money laundering that was, according to the indictment, acquired through criminal activities. In contrast, his defense attorneys claimed that he was not guilty, that the money found in his vehicle came from a loan given to his father, and that ultimately it could only be treated as a foreign exchange offense (regarding the amount allowed to be brought or out of the country) rather than the criminal offense of money laundering.

Naumov, a former Ukraine Security Service general, left the country shortly before the Russian invasion in February 2022. The Ukrainian authorities launched several investigations against him, stripped him of his rank and issued an international arrest warrant.

After his arrest in Serbia, Kiev requested Naumov's extradited, but the Appellate Court in Nis last September made the final decision to refuse to extradite him.

After a long period in custody, Naumov was released but he is prohibited from leaving the territory of Serbia.

(Telegraf.rs)