Сonversion center worth UAH 15 billion was uncovered in Ukraine: among the defendants are former tax officials
Kyiv • UNN
The SBU and NABU exposed a conversion center with a turnover of UAH 15 billion, to which the previous leadership of the State Tax Service was involved. 11 participants of the scheme received suspicion, and the head of the center was detained while trying to leave Ukraine.
The Security Service of Ukraine announced that, together with the National Anti-Corruption Bureau, they uncovered a conversion center with a turnover of UAH 15 billion, and that "the previous leadership of the State Tax Service was involved" in its activities, UNN writes.
The SBU and NABU exposed a powerful conversion center that operated with the participation of the former head of the State Tax Service and the former deputy head of the Main Department of the STS in Poltava Oblast.
Details
As the investigation established, "a person who, at the time of the transactions, held senior positions in the State Tax Service of Ukraine, including being acting head of the structure in 2021, facilitated the unhindered operation of the conversion center." At the same time, "the former deputy head of the Main Department of the STS in Poltava Oblast, who headed the commission on suspending the registration of tax invoices, ensured decisions were made in favor of 'necessary' companies," the SBU indicated.
According to the case materials, these individuals acted in the interests of a criminal organization. From 2020-2023, the conversion center issued tax invoices with false data regarding the supply of goods and services totaling UAH 15 billion, and the fictitious value-added tax amounted to over UAH 2.3 billion, the SBU reported.
According to the investigation, the "scheme" involved the participants of the criminal organization creating a conversion center and involving over 200 controlled companies for manipulations with tax payments.
The mechanism of the crime consisted of:
- controlled companies issuing false tax invoices regarding economic relations with real enterprises;
- registering invoices in the Unified Register of Tax Invoices;
- real enterprises using invoices to reduce their tax liabilities.
Currently, as stated, "11 participants of the 'scheme' have been served with suspicion notices" under the following articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine: Part 1, Part 2 of Article 255 (creation, leadership of a criminal community or criminal organization, as well as participation in it); Part 3 of Article 212 (evasion of taxes, fees (mandatory payments)); Part 2 of Article 364 (abuse of power or official position); Part 4 of Article 368 (acceptance of an offer, promise or receipt of an unlawful benefit by an official); Part 3 of Article 369 (offer, promise or provision of an unlawful benefit to an official).
"The head of the conversion center was detained while attempting to leave Ukraine," the SBU stated.