Ternopil District Council deputy suspected of USD 300,000 extortion

On Nov. 8, 2023, NABU and SAPO, in cooperation with the SSU, announced suspicion against the deputy of the Ternopil District Council, who also serves as deputy head of an amalgamated territorial community in the Ternopil region, and his lawyer. Both are charged with extorting USD 300,000 from an investor.

According to the investigation, the owner of an agricultural enterprise in the Ternopil region became embroiled in a legal dispute with the amalgamated territorial community over property rights to the land, which he was selling along with the enterprise located on this land. In light of this, the agrarian incited a potential buyer to provide an undue advantage of USD 20,000 to a judge of the Ternopil Regional Commercial Court in exchange for ruling in his favor, as well as USD 300,000 to the territorial community deputy head and a lawyer for agreeing to the ownership registration and refusing to appeal the court decision.

After that, the territorial community deputy head and his accomplice went on to extort the sum from the land buyer for their "services."

Qualification of the suspects' actions:

• the deputy of the Ternopil District Council - Part 4 Art. 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine;
• the lawyer - Part 5 Art. 27 and Part 4 Art. 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine;
• the head of an agricultural enterprise - Part 4 Art. 27 and Part 3 Art. 369 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

The investigation is ongoing.