A Ukrainian immigrant couple is suing their former country’s ousted president, Viktor Yanukovych, for $3 billion, claiming the pro-Russian politician and his cronies ripped off and destroyed their once-lucrative auto-import and real-estate development business.
Mykola and Larysa Ivanenko, in the White Plains federal court lawsuit filed last week, allege Yanukovych — who was toppled earlier this year — and others crippled a hotel-tower complex and exhibition center project they planned with Marriot by “fraudulently” seizing their land for a railroad bridge project being constructed in Kiev.
“This scheme was part of a larger scheme by the defendants to cover up their use of public fund[s] in connection with the construction of the road/rail bridge,” the suit says.
The Ivanenkos claim the scheme destroyed their business, Luxepress-II. They say they fled Ukraine in October 2012 with their two children after Mykola Ivanenko complained publicly and then “received threats on his life” from thugs connected to the defendants, the suit says.
The Ivanenkos are seeking political asylum in the US. They currently live in Port Washington, NY, and estimate their losses at nearly $1.5 billion. Their company, which imports automobiles to Ukraine from the US, was founded in 1993.
Besides Yanukovych, the suit names 27 other defendants, including the ex-president’s sons, Viktor Jr. and Alexander, and former Prime Minister Mykola Azarov. It accuses the defendants of racketeering, fraud and abuse of process.
The Ivanenkos allege that in 2007, they began planning a project “Marriot expressed great interest in.” However, when Marriot officials came to look at the site in July 2012, “they were shocked to see that the business and buildings of the company had been totally demolished,” the complaint says.
At least one building was worth $68.3 million, and the defendants made up phony excuses at Yanukovych’s direction to seize and destroy the Ivanenkos’ business and land, the suit alleges.
“These defendants engaged in said scheme to defraud plaintiffs and to deny them just compensation for the destruction of their buildings and property at the direction of … Yanukovych,” the suit says.
Yanukovych in March had his assets frozen by the European Union but is currently challenging that decision.
The Ivanenkos’ lawyer did not immediately return a message, and reps for the defendants could not immediately be reached for comment.