Vinnytsia region: SBU dismantles large-scale scheme of embezzlement of funds for military
Kyiv • UNN
In Vinnytsia, law enforcement officers dismantled a large-scale scheme of embezzlement of public funds intended for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine through overpriced contracts for the supply of military equipment worth over UAH 4 million.
In Vinnytsia, law enforcement officers have dismantled a large-scale scheme to embezzle public funds allocated for the material support of the Defense Forces. This was reported by the press service of the SBU office in Vinnytsia region, UNN reports.
Details
According to the investigation, the head of the Defense Ministry's defense procurement agency and two of his subordinates were involved in the fraud.
They are the organizers of the mechanism of embezzlement of about UAH 4.3 million of budget funds allocated for the purchase of a large batch of military equipment for a number of military units in Ukraine.
In the course of authorized searches at the suspects' places of work and residence, the evidence was seized:
- financial and business documentation and "draft" accounting;
- about UAH 1 million in cash, obtained by criminal means.
Based on the evidence gathered, the organizer of the fraud and two accomplices were served a notice of suspicion under Part 5 of Art. 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (misappropriation, embezzlement or seizure of property through abuse of office, committed as part of an organized group)
Pre-trial restraints in the form of detention and round-the-clock house arrest were imposed on the defendants. The investigation is ongoing to establish all the circumstances of the crime. The offenders face up to 12 years in prison.
Addendum
It is noted that in order to implement the criminal scheme in 2023, the official entered into an agreement for the purchase of military equipment from a private company for almost UAH 11 million.
It was established that the offenders engaged a local trading company to conceal the kickbacks. In particular, the offenders entered false information in the reporting and financial and business documentation to legalize their "profits".
As a result, the budget money was transferred to the accounts of the company, which did not have the material base and transport to fulfill the terms of the contract.
The SBU initiated commodity and economic examinations confirmed the facts of criminal activity and damages amounting to almost UAH 4.3 million.
Recall
Detectives of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine exposed a corruption schemeunder which the Ministry of Defense purchased food at inflated prices, allowing some suppliers to receive excessive profits from the military budget.
