The High Anti-Corruption Court has granted permission to conduct an investigation in absentia against two suspects in the case of embezzlement of more than UAH 88 million during the reconstruction of the administrative building of the State Migration Service. UNN reports this with reference to the SAPO.
On August 28, 2024, the HACC investigating judge granted the motion of the NABU detective, agreed by the SAPO prosecutor, to grant permission to conduct a special pre-trial investigation (in absentia) against a businessman - the organizer of a criminal scheme and the former deputy head of the SMS, suspected of embezzling UAH 88 million during the reconstruction of a building in the center of Kyiv to equip the headquarters of the State Migration Service
The SAPO reminded that, according to the investigation, in 2015, the State Migration Service of Ukraine received a building in the center of Kyiv from the state to set up its central office. The businessman, who had long been in “friendly” relations with representatives of the SMS and other officials, organized a long-term scheme to embezzle budget funds.
To implement the criminal plan, he entered into a conspiracy with the then head of the SMS and the head of the SMS Resource and Economic Support and Capital Construction Department, and then with the deputy head of the SMS, who, instead of properly performing their duties, seized the funds allocated for the construction of the building.
In total, the implementation of the criminal scheme caused losses to the budget in the amount of over UAH 88 million.
Since the whereabouts of the entrepreneur and the former deputy head of the SMS have not been established, they were notified of suspicion in accordance with Articles 135 and 278 of the CPC of Ukraine. The decision on special investigation will allow to complete the pre-trial investigation against the suspects and send the case to the HACC for consideration on the merits
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The former head of the State Migration Service, Maksym Sokoliuk , was served with a suspicion of embezzling over 88 million hryvnias during the reconstruction of the agency's administrative building.