Escape from arrests: Zelenskyy’s former aide Shefir transferred property to his wife a week after NABU suspicions in the "envelopes" case

Former assistant and long-time friend of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Serhiy Shefir concluded a property division agreement with his wife, under which almost all of the family’s assets ended up in her ownership. The agreement was signed a week after the NABU announced suspicions against a number of MPs in the “envelopes” case at the end of December last year. At that time, Yuriy Kisyel, whom Shefir discussed in the context of schemes on the so-called “Mindich tapes,” was also among those suspected.

This is reported in a Bihus.Info story.

The NABU announced suspicions against MPs for allegedly receiving money for “correct” votes in parliament at the end of December 2025. According to the investigation, the lawmakers could have received between 2 and 20 thousand dollars for supporting or rejecting draft laws, with coordination taking place directly in one of the messengers. As part of this case, Yuriy Kisyel, head of the Verkhovna Rada’s transport committee, was also suspected. He is considered one of the most influential MPs in the Servant of the People faction and a close associate of President Zelenskyy’s inner circle. For example, Kisyel’s family once bought a house from Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Ivankovychi, next door to the Shefir brothers. Kisyel is obviously close to the latter as well, since Mykyta, son of Serhiy Shefir, was previously one of his parliamentary assistants.

Materials from the “Midas” case previously published by Ukrainska Pravda also revealed that Shefir may have discussed Kisyel in the context of implementing schemes. In particular, the former presidential assistant allegedly stated that Kisyel gives him 50% of some earnings. Against this backdrop, on 6 January 2026 — essentially a week after the suspicions were announced — Serhiy and Larysa Shefir signed a property division agreement under which most real estate was officially transferred to Larysa Shefir. Journalists suggest this move may have been aimed at protecting assets from potential seizures or confiscations. However, the former presidential assistant himself claims the property was divided due to family issues:

“After ten years of marriage, unfortunately, our relationship has deteriorated in recent years. At the end of last year, my wife approached me with a proposal to divide the joint property, and I agreed, as I believe that the absence of property disputes may help preserve our marriage.”

Larysa Shefir declined to answer journalists’ questions.

It is also noteworthy that the family of Serhiy Shefir, who took up the post of assistant to Volodymyr Zelenskyy in 2019 already as a very wealthy man, actively purchased real estate during his time working at Bankova. For example, in March 2020 Larysa Shefir bought an apartment in the Chicago Central House residential complex near the NSC Olimpiyskyi in Kyiv. According to journalists’ estimates, the roughly 100-square-metre apartment together with a parking space could have cost at least 300-320 thousand dollars at the time. Just two months later Larysa Shefir became the owner of a plot of land in Lebedivka near Kyiv — in the Riviera Village cottage town on the dam of the Kyiv Sea. At that time the smallest plots of 7-8 ares there cost almost 300 thousand dollars, while Shefir’s wife bought 37 ares of land at once.

In addition, in February 2022 apartments in Prague were registered to a Czech company owned by Shefir’s son Mykyta. 

Mykyta Shefir registered the company in the Czech Republic in December 2021. According to the Czech register, its main activity is renting out real estate. Already in February 2022 the company’s charter capital increased to 45 million Czech crowns, which at the time amounted to over 2 million dollars. This was done by registering real estate in the Vila Bianca complex in the company’s name. It is one of the most expensive residential complexes in Prague, located near the city centre. However, Mykyta Shefir himself stated that neither he personally nor his company purchased this property. According to him, the apartments were given to him by his mother Larysa Shefir “approximately 12-13 years ago.” NeverthelessMykyta  Shefir did not provide journalists with either the original purchase agreement or the gift deed for the property.

During the same period, real estate was also actively purchased by Serhiy Shefir’s brother Borys and his wife Olena. At the end of 2022 the woman acquired the Kalynivskyi Tuff Quarry company in Zakarpattia. Journalists suggest its key value lies in a plot of land of about one hectare in a tourist-attractive mountainous area in the village of Kalyny near Tiachiv.

Olena Shefir also became the owner of about four hectares of land in Khodosivka near Kyiv. According to journalists’ estimates, the value of this land should be at least 400 thousand dollars (although market prices here are significantly higher — ed.). 

Probably the most expensive asset of the family turned out to be commercial real estate in the centre of Kyiv — on Prorizna Street. It concerns about 300 square metres registered through affiliated companies and offshore structures. Similar premises in this location now cost over a million dollars.

It is worth recalling that Serhiy Shefir is a long-time business partner and friend of Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Together they worked on creating the Kvartal 95 studio, produced films and series, owned joint real estate and were linked to a network of offshore companies. In May 2019 Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed Serhiy Shefir as his first assistant in the Presidential Office. In the media Shefir has repeatedly been called the main communicator of the Office with oligarchs. Journalists recorded his informal meetings with influential businessmen and politicians, including Ihor Kolomoyskyi, Rinat Akhmetov and Hryhoriy Surkis. In March 2024 Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree dismissing Serhiy Shefir from his post.