The SSU has dismantled a conversion center in Kyiv. Criminals used it to minimize taxes, drawing up accounting documents for fictitious business transactions, primarily for fuel sales.

According to preliminary estimates, the activity of the center caused losses to the state budget worth hundreds of millions of UAH.

The investigation established that the illegal activity was organized by the heads of several commercial entities in Kyiv. To carry out fictitious transactions, they involved affiliated bogus companies.

The fraudsters forged reporting documents and entered false data into the Unified Register of Tax Invoices.

To cover up false accounting, they used safe deposit boxes at a company  providing such storage services.

During the searches in the offenders’ offices, residences and vehicles, the law enforcement found:

• computer equipment, communication and data storage devices with evidence of illegal activity;
• seals and financial records of fictitious companies.

Criminal proceedings were opened under Articles 366.1 (forgery in office), 364.2 (abuse of power or office), 191.5 (appropriation, embezzlement of property or appropriating it by abuse of office) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The pre-trial investigation is underway to establish all the circumstances of the offence and bring the involved to justice.

The SSU Cyber ​​Security Department carried out the operation together with the National Police investigators under the supervision of the Prosecutor General’s Office.