UAH 14.8 million school construction embezzlement scheme: new suspect
On March 7, 2024, NABU and SAPO, with the operational support of the Strategic Investigations Department in the Ivano-Frankivsk region of the National Police, served charges on the organizer of the embezzlement of over UAH 14.8 million allocated for the construction of an educational complex in the village of Chukalivka, the Ivano-Frankivsk region.
The investigation found that in 2021, the suspect, in conspiracy with of the head of the Capital Construction Department of the Ivano-Frankivsk region, devised a scheme to misappropriate funds of the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional State Administration. According to the scheme, the department and a controlled company signed a UAH 45.6 million contract for the construction of a school as part of the Big Construction state program.
In September 2022, due to department's elimination, the construction project was transferred to the Ivano-Frankivsk City Council and adjustments were made to the project cost estimates. As it turned out, the department had transferred UAH 33.6 million to the company for the work accepted with relevant acts and certificates. In fact, the work was only partially completed, and the rest, worth over UAH 14.8 million, remained on paper. The participants of the scheme then laundered the misappropriated funds through controlled organizations.
Currently, there are three suspects in the case. Two other participants, the ex-director of the Capital Construction Department of the Ivano-Frankivsk region and the director of the company, were notified of suspicion in September 2023.
The actions of the scheme organizer fall under Part 3 Art. 27 and Part 5 Art. 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
According to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is considered not-guilty in the commission of a crime and cannot be subject to criminal punishment until he or she is found guilty by court.