The Security Service of Ukraine disclosed in Kyiv two facts of extortion money for allegedly assistance in appointments to high offices in the state authorities.

One of the organized groups consisted of three persons. According to the previous investigation, they extorted USD 1 million 650 thousand from Kyiv businessman. At this amount the malefactors estimated “assistance" in his appointment to the post of the head of the Zhytomyr Regional State Administration. Besides they have invoked alleged ties in the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Office of the President.

Law enforcement officers detained three persons involved during the transfer of the first part of the money in the amount of USD 550 thousand in one of the banks in the Shevchenkivskyi district of the capital.

During the pre-trial investigation, the SBU officers received information that a man, who has introduced himself as a retired general led to a businessman with the similar proposal. The malefactor, bragging alleged ties with the Head of the Presidential Office, the Prime Minister and the President of Ukraine, has offered to businessman for USD 3 million to head the Mykolayiv Regional State Administration. The offender was detained in Kyiv restaurant while receiving USD 350 thousand.

Within the framework of the initiated criminal proceedings four involved persons have been detained under Art. 208 of the Criminal Procedural Code of Ukraine. The issue of serving a notice of suspicion to detainees and choosing a preventive measure is being resolved. Measures to expose the illegal activities were conducted with the investigators of the Main Directorate of the National Police under the procedural supervision of the Office of the Prosecutor General.