Stolen from procurement, cashed out and bought luxury goods: fraud with fuel wood exposed
Kyiv • UNN
Four entrepreneurs were served suspicion notices of money laundering in the purchase of fuel wood for the army. The offenders inflated the price of firewood and purchased luxury cars and jewelry with the stolen funds.
The defendants laundered more than UAH 5 million by creating a scheme with fictitious data while purchasing timber for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. UNN writes with reference to the Department of Strategic Investigations of the National Police of Ukraine.
Details
Law enforcement officers exposed a fraud during the purchase of fuel wood for the needs of the Armed Forces. Four entrepreneurs were served a notice of suspicion under Part 2 of Art. 209 (Legalization (laundering) of the proceeds of crime) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
According to the investigation, in January-February 2024, firewood was purchased for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, but official documents indicated fictitious data on its cost. The difference in price amounted to more than UAH 5 million.
The entrepreneurs cashed out the criminally obtained funds and distributed them among all the participants in the fraud. Some of them purchased luxury cars and valuable items.
In addition to the four defendants, two other employees of state institutions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were previously served suspicion notices in this case under Part 5 of Article 191 (Misappropriation, embezzlement or seizure of property through abuse of office) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
The assets of all suspects worth UAH 26 million were seized. The issue of choosing a measure of restraint is being decided.
Recall
[UNN reported that the former head of a defense company and nine accomplices were suspected of embezzling UAH 36 million in aircraft equipment.
