In Odesa region, the SSU exposed a chief of economy directorate of a town council on corruption.

The official set up a scheme to extort ‘kickbacks’ from local entrepreneurs performing work financed from local budget. The offender estimated her ‘services’ at 10-15% of the total value of the work.

For example, according to the Program for Financial Support of Associations of Co-owners of Apartment Buildings, modernization of the housing stock is partly financed from local budget.

According to investigation, the official refused to approve documents for such works without a ‘kickback’ and threatened to create obstacles.

However, to those who agreed to pay she guaranteed maximum support and claimed to have connections among the town’s leadership.

The law enforcement detained the offender after she received a bribe of UAH 255,000 (USD 9,000). This sum was 15% of the overall cost of modernization of elevators at the three sites worth total UAH 1.7 mln (USD 60,000).

In an episode documented in December last year, the official received a bribe of UAH 56,000 (USD 2,000) from the same entrepreneur, which was 10% of the cost of electricity supply modernization.

During the searches of the perpetrator’s office and home, the law enforcement seized almost half a million UAH (USD 17,500) in cash, which are apparently proceeds of crime.

The detainee is to be notified of suspicion of bribery. The investigation is underway to establish all the circumstances of the offence and individuals involved.

The SSU Office in Odesa region carried out the operation under the supervision of Odesa Regional Prosecutor’s Office.