The SBU exposed kick-back schemes of a director of the Health Department of the Zhytomyr Regional State Administration. He misused funds allocated to counter the COVID-19 pandemic.

Within criminal proceedings, SBU officers established that the official extorted money from managers of a municipal non-profit medical institution. The institution received a government grant to combat the pandemic. Hospitals transferred more than UAH 1.2 m (USD 42,500) for purchase of medical equipment for patients with coronavirus.

The offender demanded from the hospital management a 10% "kickback" for allocated funds. The SBU documented receiving the first part of the bribe by the official. The law enforcement detained him red-handed near his office under Art. 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine.

The pre-trial investigation of corruption is ongoing. The issue of serving the offender a suspicion notice is being resolved.

The operation was carried out by officers of the SBU Main Directorate for Combating Corruption and Organized Crime under the supervision of the Kyiv Local Prosecutor's Office No. 7.