An RFE/RL investigation has revealed that the family of a senior Ukrainian customs chief has a portfolio of luxury real estate and cars while also enjoying a luxury lifestyle amid concerns over corruption that have sparked Ukraines biggest protests since Russias full-scale invasion in 2022.

The findings come in a report by Schemes, the investigations unit of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, raising questions about the lifestyle of 44-year-old Anatoliy Komar and his family, as well as how it was all paid for.

The case also underlines why ordinary Ukrainians and Western governments have pushed Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to reverse a law that took away the independence of the countrys leading anti-corruption bodies.

Komar became head of the Customs Service department that levies duties on imports and exports of oil, gas, and other energy in February 2022, just before Moscow's all-out invasion.

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Soon after, he was also tasked with preventing prohibited Russian fuel entering the Ukrainian market. Prior to working at the Customs Service, he had a 20-year career at Ukraines Security Service (SBU) and a spell at a private energy company.

In addition to Komars monthly salary of about $2,000, the familys main income comes from his wife, Maria, who works as a tour guide and offers online courses. Her declared income is much higher, at around $8,000 per month.

But a detailed look at the family outgoings suggests a much higher income would be required to support their lifestyle.

For example, the couple have officially declared that their daughter lives in Ukraine, but this does not appear to be the case.

In May 2023, she posted a photo on social media showing her graduation from the Pascal English School Larnaka on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, which had annual fees for education and accommodation of nearly $30,000.

Her social media feed also shows her at a Van Gogh exhibition in London, jet skiing in Albania, and enjoying visits to Venice, Dublin, and Montreux. This year, she appears to be studying at Kings College London, where undergraduate tuition fees for non-UK students alone are nearly $35,000 per year.

'Wealthy Godfather'

Asked to explain how this was financed, Komar told RFE/RL that he would not comment on personal matters. When pressed, he said it was paid for by a godfather who was a fairly wealthy person, but did not elaborate.

Komar has a different explanation for the Mercedes he drives. His official property declaration states that his wife rents it. When RFE/RL asked how much this cost, Komar refused to say.

Hes been using the car since 2021. Three car-rental companies told RFE/RL that the S-class would have cost $6,000 a month back in 2018.

This alone would be a huge expense, but here the plot thickens.

The car is registered to a renewable energy firm called the Primorskiy Energy Generating Company. Its tax reports show it has earned some $14,000 over the last three years from renting out vehicles.

It has three cars, but even if it only rented out Komars, this would make just $360 per month, some 16 times less than the market price.