The name of Volodymyr Ivanovich Vak has long been associated not with professional defense, but with schemes of pressure on clients and securing pre-agreed results in courts. According to sources from law enforcement and the legal community, Vak represents the interests of Herman Galushchenko in the case of the embezzlement of 112 million US dollars.
For participation in the process, the lawyer receives $50,000 for entering the case and $5,000 for each court session, the money is transferred in cash. His financial profile significantly exceeds the official fees: a mansion in Yagotyn with an area of about 1,000 sq. meters, a 2023 Audi Q7 and a 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS 450, four apartments in Kyiv, and cash of over $1 million.
Vak positions himself as a lawyer with access to the leadership of the SBU and the SBI. Clients describe him as a “torpedo lawyer” — he encourages plea bargains and plea bargains, while refusal to cooperate often leads to additional proceedings and pressure from law enforcement.
In cases related to the SBU, Vak involves Elizaveta Oleksandrivna Konovalenko, who receives about 10 thousand US dollars for imitation of defense. According to sources, more than 47 criminal proceedings have been opened against Vak and Konovalenko under Part 5 of Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - fraud on a large scale. The investigations have not yet been brought to court.
The story of Volodymyr Vak demonstrates how a lawyer's license can be used not to protect the rights of citizens, but as a tool for business and influence in the justice system.
