Demanded one million dollars for the unhindered supply of drones: SBGS official and entrepreneur served with notices of suspicion
Kyiv • UNN
NABU exposed a State Border Guard Service official and a businessman for extorting a $1 million bribe. The money was demanded from the winner of a tender for the supply of 270 drones.
An official of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine and the owner of a private drone manufacturing company have been exposed for extorting $1 million, UNN reports, citing the NABU and SAPO.
Under the procedural guidance of SAPO prosecutors, NABU detectives have notified an official of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (hereinafter – SBGS) and the owner of a private drone manufacturing company of suspicion. The individuals were exposed for extorting $1 million
Details
As reported by SAPO, within the framework of the pre-trial investigation, it was established that an official of the SBGS Administration arranged for public procurement procedures for unmanned aerial vehicles by SBGS units. He defined the procurement conditions to ensure the victory of a company controlled by his accomplice.
Despite the accomplices' plans, another enterprise joined the tender, whose head offered a more favorable proposal – to supply 270 unmanned aerial systems for 825 million UAH.
Upon learning of this, the entrepreneur approached him with a request not to lower the prices for the mentioned technical equipment, as there were already agreements for his company to win. However, the new participant still provided an updated proposal, according to which the total cost decreased to 760 million UAH. Ultimately, it was the new participant who won.
Since the plans to obtain profits from the controlled company were thwarted, the individuals decided to extract a benefit from the tender winner. Thus, the entrepreneur began to convince him of the need to provide a bribe for the trouble-free conclusion and execution of the future contract. He even organized a telephone conversation with a representative of the SBGS to finally assure him that all demands were being made in coordination with the Administration of the agency
SAPO added that the amount of the illegal benefit was $1 million (5-10% of the total amount of the future contract). The individuals planned to divide these funds among themselves and SBGS officials.
The SBGS official is charged with committing a crime under Part 4 of Art. 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, and the company owner – under Part 4 of Art. 27, Part 4 of Art. 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
The investigation is ongoing.