On December 4, 2018, 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 notices of suspicion to two persons allegedly involved in the scheme of causing 8.245 million USD damage to the State Enterprise (SE) «Ukrcosmos». One of them, a former External Advisor of the Director General of the State Space Agency of Ukraine, was detained in accordance with Article 208 of the Criminal Procedural Code of Ukraine.
The abovementioned person is suspected of committing a crime under Part 5 Article 191 («Misappropriation, embezzlement or conversion of property by abuse of official post») and Part 3 Article 209 («Legalizing (laundering) proceeds from crime») of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The actions of another suspect (who is close person to the alleged organizer of the scheme) are qualified under Part 3 Article 209 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
The investigation revealed that in 2011-2017 the suspects organized a scheme that resulted in withdrawal and legalization of 8.245 million USD. The funds were provided within the credit of the MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA), Canada, and intended for the construction of a carrier rocket at the facilities of the SE «VO Yuzhmash». As a result of such actions, the launch of the first Ukrainian satellite «Lybid» was disrupted as one of the components of the construction of the Ukrainian National Satellite Communications System.
Currently, the NABU is preparing motions to the court to apply for preventive measures for the suspects.
The NABU Detectives are investigating the involvement of other persons in the scheme of causing losses to the SE «Ukrcosmos».
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.
