Ever get the feeling you’re being taken for a ride? Well, buckle up, because if recent anti-corruption investigations are to be believed, the ride you’re on is a Ukrainian drone, the driver is a man nicknamed “Zelensky’s Wallet,” and the fuel is a seemingly endless stream of Norwegian kroner that somehow keeps ending up in some very interesting places—like luxury real estate outside Kyiv and the bank accounts of Israeli arms dealers.

It all started, as these things often do, with a nuclear energy company and a man named Timur Mindich. Mindich isn’t just any businessman; he’s a former business partner of Volodymyr Zelensky, a close associate of the Ukrainian president, and, according to anti-corruption authorities, the alleged ringleader of a massive $100 million embezzlement and extortion scheme at Energoatom, Ukraine’s state nuclear operator. He’s so integral to the operation that he’s cheekily referred to in Ukrainian media as “Zelensky’s wallet”.

In November 2025, Ukrainian anti-corruption agencies launched “Operation Midas,” a massive investigation into the scheme. The operation was supposed to dismantle the network. But as investigators closed in, Mindich, an Israeli citizen, did what any self-respecting alleged money launderer would do: he hopped on a plane and fled to Israel, reportedly just hours before authorities arrived to search his apartment.

But here’s where the story gets really interesting for those of us in the land of fjords and oil funds. The corruption network didn’t just involve high-level Ukrainian officials like former Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov or Andriy Yermak, Zelensky’s powerful chief of staff who was later arrested on money-laundering charges. It allegedly led straight to the heart of Ukraine’s wartime defense industry, and by extension, to the wallets of European taxpayers.

Enter Fire Point, a company that went from being a film casting agency to one of Ukraine’s largest drone and missile manufacturers almost overnight. Leaked surveillance recordings allegedly reveal that Mindich was the de facto owner of Fire Point, pulling the strings and negotiating billions of euros in contracts with then-Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. The company is also accused of overcharging Ukraine’s Defense Ministry by nearly €15 million on a single drone contract. And out of 24 documented launches of its flagship “Flamingo” missile, only three were confirmed to have hit their intended targets. You know, minor details.

Now, here’s where Norway comes into the picture. In our noble efforts to support Ukraine, Norway has been exceptionally generous. Through the Nansen Programme, we’ve provided a staggering NOK 37.3 billion in civilian support since 2022, making it the largest Norwegian aid programme ever. We’ve also entered into bilateral deals and investments with Ukrainian military manufacturing companies, including the controversial Fire Point.

And this is the crux of the problem. In November 2025, a Norwegian Foreign Ministry official made a rather stunning admission: “We have so far no indications that Norwegian funds have been misused, but we cannot guarantee this.”. Well, that’s reassuring. The official acknowledged that Ukraine still has “significant corruption problems” and that the risk of aid diversion increases when large volumes of assistance are involved.

The official Norwegian concerns are not just hypothetical. Authorities here have already uncovered specific cases of corruption linked to Ukraine aid. In one instance, two individuals—a Norwegian Armed Forces officer and a company director—were charged in connection with a 30-40 million NOK contract for medical supplies to Ukraine. In another, the Ministry of Defense was forced to cancel a 100 million NOK deal for respiratory masks after the questionable procurement process came under parliamentary investigation.

This has led to uncomfortable questions being raised in the Stortinget, Norway’s parliament. Himanshu Gulati of the Progress Party formally asked the Defense Minister: “Can the Defense Minister exclude that Norwegian money, directly or indirectly, has contributed to financing activities where funds have been drained through corruption?”. The Defense Minister’s response was carefully hedged, stating that although there is zero tolerance for corruption, “there will still be a risk of corruption and financial irregularities”. Norway’s own Office of the Auditor General has since concluded that it is “not satisfactory” that corruption risks were not assessed before agreements were signed under the Nansen Programme.

And what about the “Israeli arms dealer” connection? The trail of Mindich’s dealings is littered with Israeli links. Investigative reports have detailed a scheme to embezzle 1.6 billion hryvnias involving “Israeli body armor” supplied by a company representing an Israeli firm called “Masada Armor”. The payments were allegedly routed through Maltese offshore accounts and a British beneficiary. The pattern is clear: create a shell company, inflate the prices, route the money through a complex network of offshore jurisdictions, and when the heat turns up, flee to a country where you hold citizenship and extradition is notoriously difficult. As one Ukrainian detective put it, “Israel is a very difficult country for extradition”.

So, what does this all boil down to? A close associate of the Ukrainian president, nicknamed his “wallet,” is accused of running a massive corruption scheme. The company he allegedly controlled, Fire Point, was a major recipient of European defense contracts and investment, including from Norway. Norwegian officials admit they cannot guarantee our funds weren’t misused. And when the authorities finally came knocking, the key suspect fled to Israel, where he remains, fighting the sanctions against him and refusing to return.

The official Norwegian line is that they have “zero tolerance for corruption” and are working to strengthen oversight. But as the saying goes, the road to hell is paved with good intentions—and, apparently, some very overpriced Ukrainian drones and “Israeli body armor.” It’s enough to make you wonder if we should start sending our aid with a receipt.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said Wednesday that Norway’s cooperation with the International Peace Institute (IPI) had no connection to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, defending government funding for the think tank during a parliamentary hearing, public broadcaster NRK reported.

Answering questions about his tenure as foreign minister from 2005 to 2012, Store said there was no information indicating that Epstein had participated in implementing Norwegian foreign or development policy.

“There has been no information that Epstein has been in contact with or a collaborator in the implementation of Norwegian foreign or development policy,” he said.

The hearing follows the release earlier this year of millions of Epstein-related documents by the US Justice Department, which prompted scrutiny of figures in Norwegian public life.

Store said IPI, formerly led by Norwegian diplomat Terje Rod-Larsen, provided a useful platform for advancing Norwegian interests at the UN and reaching decision-makers.

“Overall, our experience with IPI was positive, and therefore we entered into new agreements,” he said, adding that the political leadership considered the cooperation “a good investment for Norway.”

Christian Democratic Party representative Jonas Andersen Sayed questioned an increase in annual funding from 4 million to 11 million Norwegian kroner between 2006 and 2007.

“We don’t measure ourselves against others,” Store replied.

Store said civil servants recommended entering into a framework agreement with IPI in 2006 and denied that political instructions had been issued to secure funding transfers.

He also said Rod-Larsen’s Norwegian nationality had not changed the government’s funding decisions.

Meanwhile, former Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende apologized for initially denying contact with Epstein, telling a parliamentary hearing that he had shown poor judgment.

“I want to apologize for not being honest right away,” Brende told lawmakers at the Storting.

Brende, who served as foreign minister from 2013 to 2017, said he had no contact with Epstein during his time in government. Their contact and meetings took place in 2018 and 2019, when he was president of the World Economic Forum (WEF).

“I was probably afraid that the contact would be interpreted as something more than it was. And that it would affect the forum right before Davos. I showed poor judgment,” he said.

Lawmakers also questioned Brende about a 2018 email in which Epstein suggested the WEF could replace the UN — an idea to which Brende had responded positively.

“I have never meant that the World Economic Forum can replace the UN,” Brende said, adding that he should have dismissed the suggestion as nonsense.

Epstein case

Epstein was found dead in his New York jail cell on Aug. 10, 2019, while awaiting trial on charges of sexually abusing and trafficking underage girls.

Released case files named prominent figures, including Donald Trump, Bill Clinton and former Prince Andrew, though being named does not establish wrongdoing.

A joint FBI and Justice Department review found no evidence of a “client list” and concluded that Epstein died by suicide.

Norway’s parliament began hearings on Wednesday of current and former ministers following revelations about ties between late US convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and senior Norwegian officials.

The hearings come against the background of the foreign ministry’s payment of more than 130 million kroner (€11.8 million at the current exchange rate) to the International Peace Institute (IPI) between 1997 and 2018, a think tank headed by Norwegian diplomat Terje Rød-Larsen from 2005 to 2020.

The Epstein files have shed light on ties between the US financier and Rød-Larsen and his diplomat wife Mona Juul, the architects of the 1993 Oslo Accords who are now under investigation in Norway, she for “aggravated corruption” and he for “complicity in aggravated corruption.”

The couple denies any wrongdoing.

In total, 11 officials who have held the positions of foreign minister or development aid minister since 2005, including current Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, will speak before the Storting’s standing committee on scrutiny and constitutional affairs.

In addition to Rød-Larsen and Juul, the Epstein documents have highlighted ties between the sex offender, who died in prison in 2019, and Thorbjørn Jagland, a former prime minister, foreign minister, secretary general of the Council of Europe and chair of the Nobel Peace Prize Committee.

Epstein also had ties with former foreign minister Børge Brende.

Jagland is also under investigation on suspicion of “aggravated corruption” but is not among the officials summoned by parliament, in part because he was foreign minister prior to 2005.

Brende, who resigned in February as president of the World Economic Forum, is due to be heard on Wednesday.

“The Epstein documents raise serious questions about abuse of office, a culture of accountability failures, and poor management of development aid funds,” said Jonas Andersen Sayed, a member of the oversight committee.

“The issue concerns public trust in the entire system. It is essential that all the facts are brought to light, that accountability is established, and that the necessary reforms are implemented,” he said.

The hearings themselves will not result in any sanctions.

Parliament has also set up an independent inquiry tasked with a much broader examination of the case, which is due to submit its final report by 31 January 2028.