SBU exposed a scheme of budget funds misappropriation in Zatoka village, Odesa region. The village council officials misappropriated money, allocated for coastal reinforcement.

Allegedly, the scheme was organized by the officials, who are already suspected of large-scale embezzlement in several criminal proceedings.  In 2019, the officials concluded an agreement for major repairs of bank protection structure with a company which belonged to an official’s relative. The contract was signed without any project and corresponding technical documentation, violating the procedural rules. Moreover, the contractor did not have license for major repairs operations.  The total sum of the contract amounted almost UAH 1,5 million (USD 60,000). The suspects embezzled a bigger part of the above sum by entering false data into reports of completion. 

During the searches of residences of three suspects, the law enforcement seized financial documents, accounting records and other materials, proving the illegal activity.  As of now, technical inspection engineer, former acting head of the village council and the head of construction company were served notices of suspicion. The perpetrators are accused of misappropriation and embezzlement (P. 5 Art. 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) and forgery in office (P. 1 Art. 366 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

The investigation is ongoing to identify all circumstances of the case and to bring to justice all the persons involved into the illegal activity.

This operation was conducted under the supervision of the Prosecutor's Office of Odesa region.