A Spanish court has decided to remand a former senior UN official, Vitaly Vanshelboim, in custody on suspicion of defrauding the organization out of millions of dollars. The court’s decision, announced on Thursday, follows a ruling made public earlier this week.
Vanshelboim, a Ukrainian national, allegedly secretly accepted $3 million in gifts, including a new Mercedes, from a British businessman, while channeling over $58 million of UN funds into the man’s businesses. At the time, he was the deputy head of the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), which handles a wide range of contracting activities for various UN arms.
He was placed on leave in 2021 while the UN conducted an investigation into the allegations and was dismissed in early 2023. Vanshelboim moved to Spain three years ago.
In January, a New York court issued an international arrest warrant for him, citing charges of bribery, money laundering, and electronic fraud.
Spain’s top criminal court ruled on Wednesday that Vanshelboim be held in custody, noting that although he has economic and familial ties in Spain, they are not strong enough to eliminate the risk of flight, as he has only resided in the country for three years.
The UN confirmed that it lost a significant portion of the $58 million in UNOPS funds due to Vanshelboim’s involvement with the British businessman. The scandal has led to reforms within the agency and embarrassed the organization.
AFP
