The SSU documented new corruption crimes of a member of Odesa Region Council and his wife, who had been previously exposed on illegal seizure of land in the oblast.

This time, the SSU established facts of their misappropriation of budget funds allocated for repair and construction of communal and social infrastructure facilities in 2017-2021.

These include contracts for construction of a kindergarten and installation of street lighting in 11 settlements.

Over the entire period, the officials caused damage to the state of over UAH 24 mln (USD 642,000).

According to the investigation, the suspects acted in an organized criminal group, having involved a director of a controlled construction company and heads of village councils.

The council member and his wife coordinated the conclusion of contracts between the village councils and the contractor. The latter received the budget funds provided for implementation of the projects.

At the same time, the organizers of the scheme artificially inflated the costs and scope of repair and construction works. The ‘difference’ was transferred to the shadow and distributed among the involved.

Based on the collected evidence, the council member’s wife, the contractor’s director and the village council head were notified of suspicion under the Articles of the CCU:

• 28.3 (committing a crime by a group of persons, a group of persons upon prior conspiracy, an organized group or a criminal organization);
• 358.1. 358.3 (forgery of documents, seals, stamps and forms, sale or use of forged documents, seals, stamps);
• 366.1 (official forgery);
• 191.1 (misappropriation of property or seizure of property through abuse of office, committed on a particularly large scale or by an organized group).

The decision to bring to justice the region council member, who organized the scheme, and the involved village council heads is pending.  

The investigation is ongoing. The offenders are facing up to 12 years in prison.

The SSU Office in Odesa region carried out the operation jointly with the National Police under the supervision of the regional Prosecutor’s Office.