"Ukrtelefilm" case sent to court

On Nov. 1, 2022, NABU and SAPO referred the case to court, accusing five persons of causing UAH 67.73 million in losses to the state-owned Ukrtelefilm (the Ukrainian Television Film Studio).

The accused are:

• the former Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine (Derzhkomteleradio) (2016-2020);
• the former General Director of Ukrtelefilm (2016-2017);
• the deputy head of a private company;
• the former head of the legal department of Ukrtelefilm (2015-2016);
• a private person - the scheme's organizer.

As for the private person, he was declared internationally wanted in April 2019. In January 2021, the suspect was detained in the Italian Republic. The extradition procedure continued until March 2022. However, due to the armed aggression of the russian federation and the introduction of martial law in Ukraine, the Court of Appeal of Florence refused extradition in March 2022, while stating the suspicion was well-founded. As a result, a special pre-trial investigation (in absentia) was launched.

As established, in 2017-2018, Ukrtelefilm executives in collusion with the former head of the SE's legal department, other inpiduals, and the Deputy Chairman of Derzhkomteleradio ensured the alienation of property rights to over 60 real estate facilities in Kyiv in favor of a private company (Lodoks LLC). The sale of the assets was carried out with numerous violations of the alienation procedure, in particular, without the consent of the governing body represented by Derzhkomteleradio. As a result, the state suffered considerable damage. The offense was solved at the stage of real estate legalization.

In February-March 2019, NABU and SAPO identified four possible participants in the offense and notified them of suspicion. Six months later, the investigation into three of them was completed. In December 2021, four more persons became suspects in the case.

Thus, the number of persons allegedly involved in the crime rose to eight. Two of them are being tried by the High Anti-Corruption Court, another one has already been convicted. One more suspect is on the international wanted list.

The evidence collected by NABU enabled the invalidation by the Commercial Court of Kyiv of the asset purchase agreement concluded between Ukrtelefilm and Lodoks LLC. The relevant decision has taken effect. Measures to compensate for the damage caused to the SE are being taken, the real estate registration in favor of the enterprise is underway.