Lozhkin Boris Evgenievich – is a Ukrainian businessman and politician, the former Head of the Presidential Administration of Ukraine.

Biography

Born on October 23, 1971 in Kharkov.

Married. One child.

In 1985, began his journalistic career as a freelance correspondent for the “Leninskaya Smena” and “Vecherny Kharkov” newspapers.

In 1989, became a full-time writer and editor at “Vecherny Kharkov” daily newspaper.

In 1990, founded the “ATV” newspaper that published articles about TV and movie stars. Later he founded an advertising agency with the proceeds.

In 1992, graduated from the International Institute of Humanization and Education Development (USA) with a degree in business management.

In 1994, graduated from the Kharkov State Pedagogical Institute with a degree in Russian language and literature. During his studies Lozhkin began entrepreneurial activity and founded in Kharkov a successful trading network selling books and periodicals. In parallel with the development of his own business he continued his journalistic career in the press and on television.

From 1994 to 1998, Deputy of the Dzerzhinsky District Council of Kharkov and Advisor to the Minister of Economy of Ukraine Viktor Suslov.

In 1997, founded the “Young Kharkov Foundation”.In 1998, bought Kharkov radio station “Radio-50” shares and started his partnership with Grigory and Igor Surkis brothers.

From 1998 to 2002, Deputy of the Kharkov City Council.

In 2000 became the President of the United Media Holding group (UMH).

In 2001 UMH bought radio stations “Melody” and “Europa Plus”.Lozhkin signed a long-term contract for the publication of the newspaper “Arguments and Facts.Ukraine”, became the owner of the newspaper “Komsomolskaya Pravda in Ukraine”, and launched the Ukrainian versions of the newspapers “Express-Gazeta”, “Izvestia”, and “Top Secret”.

From 2003, member of the Council of Entrepreneurs under the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.

In 2005, launched the celebrity magazine “Telenedelya” in Russia.

From 2007, began to cooperate with Petr Poroshenko who referred “Radio five” station to the UMH group.

From 2010, began to sign contracts with global business media brands «Forbes Media» and «Conde Nast» which provided Lozhkin with the right to publish “Forbes” (since 2011) and “Vogue” (since 2013) magazines in Ukraine.

In 2011, Lozhkin in partnership with Poroshenko bought “Nashe Radio” radio station and the “Korrespondent” company, magazine and website belonged to KP Media.

In 2012, merged part of his Internet assets with Media Group Ukraine into the company “United Online Ventures”.

In 2012, member of the Federation of Employers of Ukraine, became the initiator and organizer of the World newspaper congress “WAN-IFRA” in Kiev. The project was supported by the Administration of the President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovich.

In June 2013, Lozhkin announced the conclusion of a deal to sell a 98% stake in the UMH to the “VETEK” group belonged to oligarch Sergey Kurchenko and associated with the immediate circle of ex-president Viktor Yanukovich.

In November 2013, announced an early closure of the deal. As a result, more than 40 journalists quit the “Forbes” and “Correspondent magazines on the pretext of censorship in the UMH.

From June 2014 to August 2016, the Head of the Presidential Administration of Ukraine.

In August, at his own request was dismissed from the post of the Head of the Presidential Administration and appointed freelance adviser to the President of Ukraine.

Financial fraud.

In June 2013, Lozhkin announced the conclusion of a deal to sell a 98% stake in the UMH to the “VETEK” group belonged to oligarch Sergey Kurchenko who was business partner of ex-president Viktor Yanukovich. An expert evaluation of the deal is $ 370-500 million and it is five times more expensive than market value. Sergey Kurchenko paid for the UMX with the money of another oligarch Dmitry Firtash.

The budget of Ukraine did not receive proceeds from the sale since taxes were not paid. These finances were not indicated in the declaration and that is why the deal was illegal.

The Austrian central prosecutor’s office opened a criminal case against Lozhkin. He was suspected of corruption and economic crimes. The basis for the suspicion was the fact of transferring of $130.5 million from one Latvian account. This money was used for rewriting Boris Lozhkin ownership of the UMH for Sergei Kurchenko.All the necessary documents confirming Lozhkin’s affiliation with the frauds were provided by the Austrian prosecutor’s office but Viktor Shokin, then the prosecutor general of Ukraine, ignored these materials.

According to Al Jazeera, the money Kurchenko invested in the purchase was partially taken as loans from state banks in Ukraine. Documents on the deal were allegedly received by reporters from the CIA. This fact was supposed to show Poroshenko how well the Western world is informed about all corruption schemes are controlled by the country's leadership.

Participation in state reforms after the “Maidan” events

There is an information that after an appointment on the post of the Head of the Presidential Administration of Ukraine Lozhkin was tasked with conducting in Ukraine so called “deoligarchization” and was to take under state control all business empires of the Ukrainian oligarchs. His task was to tax them, financially deplete their assets and redistribute between the business circle of Poroshenko.

A striking example of the policy is the redistribution of the lottery market of Ukraine which with the full connivance of the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Internal Affairs has turned into a semi-criminal business.

In addition, Lozhkin proposed the appointment of private sector managers and foreigners with experience in implementing reforms in other countries on state posts. It was his idea to invite Finance Minister Natalie Jaresko, Minister of Economics Aivaras Abromavichus, Deputy Minister of Justice of Ukraine Gia Getsadze, the Deputy Director of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine Hizo Uhlava, Deputy General Prosecutor of Ukraine David Sakvarelidze, First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Eka Zguladze and the Chief of Ukrainian National Police Khatia Dekanoidze.

Lozhkin also provided Poroshenko reform solutions western partners expected. But he did in the way when reforms were not fully implemented and did not violate the old government schemes.After the early elections to the Verkhovnaya Rada in the fall of 2014 Lozhkin coordinated work on a coalition agreement - a key document that determined the government’s action plan for the coming years.

He oversaw the adoption of a new law on the prosecutor’s office in October 2014, as well as the NABU creation and the Judicial Reform Council. As a result, the law “On a fair trial” and amendments to the Constitution were adopted which made it possible to remove immunity from judges. Lozhkin was one of the founders of the “ProZorro” e-procurement system.

After dismissal Lozhkin was appointed Deputy Head of the National Reform Council. But a year later he moved to the post of Secretary of the National Investment Council of Ukraine headed by President Poroshenko. Under Lozhkin leadersip it turned into a “cash desk” where the “guilty” leaders and firms paid money to avoid authorities’ prosecution.

Lozhkin also coordinated criminal cases should be given a move and which should be closed. So, with his active participation the criminal authority of Yuri Ivanyushchenko (Yura Enakievsky) was expelled from the international wanted list.