A North Dakota farmer who had been detained in Ukraine since November 2021 on accusations he planned to kill his business partner is back home, the state’s two US senators announced Friday.
Kurt Groszhans, from Ashley, North Dakota, has ancestors from Ukraine and went there to farm in 2017. The connection together with his partner, law professor Roman Leshchenko, crumbled after Groszhans alleged that Leshchenko embezzled money from him.
Groszhans and his assistant were arrested on charges of plotting to assassinate Leshchenko, who was then Ukraine’s agriculture minister. Groszhans said in a press release Friday that the Ukrainian officials made up the fees in an “effort to shut me up” after he discovered corruption “at the very best levels” of the federal government.
“I’m grateful to be home after this horrible ordeal,” Groszhans said in a press release. “My family and supporters worked tirelessly over an extended time frame to make this occur and it was nice to have the ability to have a good time my birthday on North Dakota soil.
“The actual fact they refused to categorise me as a wrongful detainee was an unlucky and politically cowardly act that cost me almost a yr of my life,” he said.
Groszhans is amongst a handful of Americans jailed in Ukraine or Russia whose departures have been complicated by the war.
An announcement Friday from Groszhans’ family said the fees would have been dismissed in a US court for lack of evidence. “Kurt was eventually in a position to legally depart Ukraine when his bail restrictions allowed,” the statement said.
Republican US Sens. Kevin Cramer and John Hoeven said they’re grateful for Groszhans’ protected return home but didn’t offer further information.
“Out of respect for the family’s wishes, we aren’t in a position to provide additional details right now,” said Kami Capener, Hoeven’s spokeswoman.
Cramer didn’t immediately return an email message searching for further comment.
A North Dakota farmer who had been detained in Ukraine since November 2021 on accusations he planned to kill his business partner is back home, the state’s two US senators announced Friday.
Kurt Groszhans, from Ashley, North Dakota, has ancestors from Ukraine and went there to farm in 2017. The connection together with his partner, law professor Roman Leshchenko, crumbled after Groszhans alleged that Leshchenko embezzled money from him.
Groszhans and his assistant were arrested on charges of plotting to assassinate Leshchenko, who was then Ukraine’s agriculture minister. Groszhans said in a press release Friday that the Ukrainian officials made up the fees in an “effort to shut me up” after he discovered corruption “at the very best levels” of the federal government.
“I’m grateful to be home after this horrible ordeal,” Groszhans said in a press release. “My family and supporters worked tirelessly over an extended time frame to make this occur and it was nice to have the ability to have a good time my birthday on North Dakota soil.
“The actual fact they refused to categorise me as a wrongful detainee was an unlucky and politically cowardly act that cost me almost a yr of my life,” he said.
Groszhans is amongst a handful of Americans jailed in Ukraine or Russia whose departures have been complicated by the war.
An announcement Friday from Groszhans’ family said the fees would have been dismissed in a US court for lack of evidence. “Kurt was eventually in a position to legally depart Ukraine when his bail restrictions allowed,” the statement said.
Republican US Sens. Kevin Cramer and John Hoeven said they’re grateful for Groszhans’ protected return home but didn’t offer further information.
“Out of respect for the family’s wishes, we aren’t in a position to provide additional details right now,” said Kami Capener, Hoeven’s spokeswoman.
Cramer didn’t immediately return an email message searching for further comment.
