Dnipropetrovs'k region exposes fictitious services scheme that caused multimillion-dollar budget losses
Kyiv • UNN
Law enforcement officers exposed a scheme to embezzle budget funds through fictitious advertising services for the Dnipro City Council. Nine members of the criminal organization were detained, the amount of losses exceeds UAH 34 million.
Misappropriation of public funds based on a scheme of fictitious advertising and marketing services for the Dnipro City Council was exposed.
Writes UNN with reference to the press service of the Prosecutor General's Office.
Details
A scheme to embezzle budget funds was exposed in Dnipropetrovs'k region. It involved the provision of fictitious advertising and marketing services for the Dnipro City Council.
According to the Prosecutor General's Office, the following is known:
The entrepreneur, whose company previously provided advertising services to Dnipro city utilities, lobbied for the victory of controlled individual entrepreneurs in tenders for the purchase of advertising and marketing services for the Dnipro City Council.
In real life, the owners of these businesses work as manicurists, construction workers, taxi drivers, accountants, electrical appliance salespeople, and other professionals. In other words, their work has nothing to do with providing professional SMM services.
However, it was with them that the specialized municipal enterprise of the Dnipro City Council signed contracts for the provision of advertising and marketing services, including coverage of the activities of the city council and executive bodies through media, social networks, and messengers.
The amount of established losses to the budget under this scheme is over UAH 34 million. According to the case file, the funds were misappropriated by three owners of local advertising agencies who acted in cooperation with city council officials.
Currently, nine members of the criminal organization have been detained in accordance with Article 208 of the CPC. One of the perpetrators has been hiding abroad since 2023.
During the searches of the suspects' residences and workplaces, the SBU seized mobile phones with correspondence on criminal activity, bank cards used for cash transactions, original financial and business documents and other evidence of criminal offenses.
Recall
UNN reported that law enforcement officers announced a search of a construction company that carries out repair and construction work on state infrastructure facilities. The company is suspected of causing more than a billion hryvnias in damage to the budget.
