Following the SSU’s investigation, a notice of suspicion was served to the former head of Kherson region administration, who held this position from October 2021 to July 2022.

The official is suspected of crimes under two Articles of the CCU:

• 358.3 (forgery of documents, seals, stamps and forms, sale or use of forged documents, seals, stamps);
• 190.4 (fraud).

The crimes are punishable by imprisonment for up to 12 years with confiscation of property.

One of the episodes currently investigated by the SSU pertains to illegal seizure of property. The former official appropriated a car that had been provided to him for temporary free use during the full-scale invasion.

According to the investigation, in the spring of 2022, amidst the ruscist invasion, the official asked a local businesswoman to provide him with an SUV for free, ‘for work purposes.’ Out of patriotic motives and a desire to help, the woman agreed to provide the vehicle.

However, in July 2022, the official took advantage of her absence in Ukraine and decided to privatize the car through a private notary.

The man obtained a power of attorney from a notary authorizing him to dispose of the car (including selling it, leasing it on terms of his own choosing).

Then, the official ‘sold’ the car to his subordinate, chief of the patronage service of Kherson Region Military Administration. Next day, the latter ‘resold’ it back to his superior.

The vehicle has now been seized. The examination found that the ‘notarized power of attorney’ bore a forged signature of the woman.

The pre-trial investigation is ongoing.

The SSU exposed the unlawful scheme under the procedural supervision of the Prosecutor’s Office.