Ex-Member of Parliament was given a notice of suspicion on 20 million USD embezzlement of the “State Savings Bank of Ukraine”

On September 27, 2019, 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) gave a notice of suspicion to an ex-Member of Parliament on 20 million USD embezzlement of the Public Joint-Stock Company (PJSC) “State Savings Bank of Ukraine” (100% state-owned).

Actions of the suspect are qualified under Part 5 Article 191, Part 3 Article 27, Part 3 Article 209, Part 3 Article 27 Part 1 Article 366 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

The investigation revealed that in 2013 - 2015 the officials of the companies of the PJSC “Kreatyv” upon the prior conspiracy with the officials of the “State Savings Bank of Ukraine” forged documents to receive 20 million USD loan in the State Bank for allegedly purchase of sunflower seeds. Receiving the funds owners of the “Kreatyv” transferred money to the accounts of companies registered in Belize and Switzerland. Then they used these funds to pay for the purchase of the corporate rights of companies that owned valuable real estate.

The NABU Detectives have been conducting the pre-trial investigation of the abovementioned facts since May 2016.

In Autumn 2018, the NABU and the SAPO gave notices of suspicion to 13 persons and prepared a notice of suspicion to the abovementioned Member of Parliament. However, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (8th convocation) did not support the submission of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine for bringing the MP to criminal liability.

So, among the suspects within this case there are:

• owners and officials of enterprises of the companies of the PJSC “Kreatyv”;
• employees of the PJSC “State Savings Bank of Ukraine”;
• independent appraiser.

In July 2019, for unknown reasons and in violation of Part 5 Article 36 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine, the Prosecutor General determined the jurisdiction in criminal proceeding by investigators of the Main Investigation Department of the National Police of Ukraine.

On August 28, 2019, the Prosecutor General revised this decision, determining the jurisdiction in the case for the NABU Detectives again.

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.