Kobolyev stands accused of lobbying for a bonus that, the indictment alleges, exceeded a regulation limiting extra compensation for state employees to approximately $1 million. The bonus was awarded following a 2018 arbitration settlement in which Naftogaz recovered $4.6 billion from Russian gas giant Gazprom. After the court victory, the Naftogaz supervisory board voted to award 1% of the sum to approximately 40 top employees as an incentive for future performance.
However, according to the depositions of former supervisory board members Claire Spottiswood and Bruno Lescoeur, both the idea to award the bonuses and the amounts to be paid did not involve Kobolyev's personal input. Spottiswood's recollection of the events in question is similar to that of Lescoeur. She noted that, rather than influencing the board's decision, Kobolyev"was asked to leave the room when his own personal bonus and when the overall total bonus were discussed."
"An independent lawyer from Kinsteller law firm attended all supervisory board and committees meetings to advise them on the legality of their decisions," Lescoeur's deposition says.