1.6 bln UAH losses of the State Food and Grain Corporation of Ukraine: the pre-trial investigation is completed

The Detectives of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), under the procedural guidance of the prosecutors of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO), completed a pre-trial investigation of the case as of a representative of the international Grain Trader involved in causing losses to the PJSC “State Food and Grain Corporation of Ukraine” (SFGCU) in the amount of more than 60 million USD (more than 1.6 billion UAH).  On February 11, 2019, the suspect and the defence were provided with access to the materials of the pre-trial investigation.

The person is suspected of committing a crime under Part 5 Article 27, Part 3 Article 369, Part 5 Article 27, Part 4 Article 190, and Part 3 Article 209 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

The NABU Detectives found that a representative of the international Grain Trader and the SFGCU officials organized a corrupt scheme. In terms of this scheme the PJSC grain was sold by the set of private companies-intermediaries (including fictitious companies) and then was delivered to Saudi Arabia.

The supply was made on post-payment terms, which did not meet the established market rules. As a result, the PJSC State Food and Grain Corporation didn’t receive the greater part of the funds for the purchased grain and consequently the SE lost more than 60 million USD.

The investigation revealed that the representative of the international Grain Trader through foreign companies registered in Cyprus legalized more than 40.9 million USD (more than 577 million UAH). According to the NABU Detectives, he was acting in accordance with the instructions of the organizer of the scheme — a citizen of Hungary.

The NABU started this investigation in July 2016. The roles of a number of persons (including the Chairman of the SFGCU) were established, who allegedly involved in the commission of a crime.

Two persons signed plea bargain agreements and compensated 60 thousand USD of losses caused to the State. The indictment as of one more person — Advisor of the Chairman of the Board of the PJSC “SFGCU” was sent to court in January 2018.

Two more people were put on wanted list.

According to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine a person is considered not-guilty in commission of crime and cannot be a subject to criminal punishment, until he or she is found guilty by the court.