Finally, the Ministry of the Interior acknowledged having been deceived by the Arab company Aero Express FZE, from which it acquired an Antonov AN-74 aircraft for US$63.9 million, on October 31, 2025, during the presidency of José Jerí.
The General Office of Administration and Finance (OGAF) of the Ministry of the Interior concluded that the offer presented by Aero Express FZE is fraudulent because it certified with false documents that it manufactures the Antonov AN-74 aircraft.
A series of investigative reports by La República warned that the company based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), published before the OGAF awarded the contract to Aero Express FZE, did not have a license from the Ukrainian Antonov factory to build the AN-74 model and had not sold any aircraft to anyone.
In addition, this newspaper reported that the representative of Aero Express FZE is the Russian citizen Valery Paniklov, whose country invaded Ukraine in 2022 and destroyed the Antonov facilities.
It was obvious that Paniklov did not have the license from the Ukrainian factory to build an AN-74, but the OGAF of the Ministry of the Interior did not care and gave him the go-ahead.
After receiving official information from the government of Ukraine and the Antonov company, which confirmed that Aero Express FZE does not represent them, does not have any permit and the documents it has presented are fraudulent, the OGAF of the Ministry of the Interior asked Valery Paniklov to respond.
Paniklov responded with more falsehoods, so the award of the contract to Aero Express FZE was declared void, according to the resolution of the Ministry of the Interior to which La República had access.
JUST LIES
When the OGAF asked Valery Paniklov if it was true that Antonov’s license to manufacture the AN-74 model was fraudulent, the Russian businessman answered evasively: “The document is not part of the offer, so it is not subject to review nor can it be used to challenge the legality of the offer.”
Regarding how it explains that it has a license from a Ukrainian company, if this nation has been invaded by its country of origin, the Russian Federation, the representative of the Arab firm Aero Express FZE argued: “The fact that there is an armed conflict between two States and disputes regarding the ownership of the Type Certificate or the licenses related to the AN-74 aircraft, cannot in itself constitute a legal basis for the cancellation of the award of the contract.”
Paniklov told OGAF not to worry because he will comply with the construction of the AN-74, even though he does not have official permits from the manufacturer to do so, as required by procurement regulations. Those from the Ministry of the Interior realized the mockery.
“(Paniklov) does not issue any explanation regarding what was communicated (by the company) Antonov, referring to its non-ownership of the patents of the goods offered (the AN-74), nor to the impossibility of manufacturing the aircraft offered neither inside nor outside of Ukraine,” concludes the OGAF.
THE CONSUMMATE DECEPTION
As La República reported at the time, OGAF officials during the bidding process overlooked the verification of the documents with which Valery Paniklov supported the Antonov AN-74 construction bid.
He also reported the suspicious actions of the former head of the OGAF, appointed by the government of José Jerí, Ronnie Matienzo Mendoza. Appointed on October 25, 2025, six later, on October 31, he awarded the contract to Aero Express FZE for US$63.9 million, and on November 15, Minister Vicente Tiburcio accepted his resignation from the position.
Almost three months after Aero Express FZE won the contract, only the OGAF officials of the Ministry of the Interior became aware of the fraud: “From the above, it is evident from the communication from (the company) Antonov in its capacity as owner of the intellectual rights of the offered aircraft (AN-74), that the offer of the bidder Aero Express FZE does not comply with the contracting conditions required in the bases (…), when it is found that it does not have the status of manufacturer of the good, for not being the holder of the authorizations of corresponding manufacturing”.
They also note that Valery Panikov’s company is unlikely to build an Antonov AN-74.
“The supply of new goods would also not be materially possible in view of the reported impossibility of their current manufacturing either in Ukraine or abroad; therefore, the offer of the bidder Aero Express FZE does not comply with the bases. (…) The bidder Aero Express FZE would have attempted to prove (that it complies with the bases), during the contracting procedure with the presentation of false and/or inaccurate documentation and sworn declaration,” says the OGAF, admitting the fraud.
Consequently, the good agreement in favor of Aero Express FZE was annulled, while the Ministry of the Interior announced the initiation of legal actions against those responsible for the scam perpetrated.
The Ministry should cancel the entire process and call for a new tender and make sure to prevent the participation of shell companies.
