The State Bureau of Investigation has exposed a Lviv businessman and former chairman of the board of “Ukrenergo” in fraudulently embezzling funds
SBI employees reported a Lviv businessman and detained the former chairman of the board of “Ukrenergo” on suspicion of fraudulently embezzling funds from the state-owned enterprise “NEC “Ukrenergo”. As Suspilne’s sources in law enforcement agencies reported, we are talking about Igor Hrynkevich and Volodymyr Kudrytsky.
According to the investigation, the organizer of the criminal scheme was a Lviv businessman who had previously been exposed in the case of the purchase of low-quality clothing for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for more than 1 billion hryvnias.
The investigation established that in 2018, during the tenders for the reconstruction of the external fence of the substations of the Southern and Western energy systems, an official of the state-owned enterprise entered into collusion with representatives of a private company. At that time, he held the position of Deputy Director for Investments of the State Enterprise “NEC “Ukrenergo”.
Following the results of the tenders, the parties concluded two contracts for a total amount of over 68 million hryvnias. After that, the state-owned enterprise transferred to the contractor over 13.7 million hryvnias of advance funds, which the participants in the scheme appropriated, not intending to fulfill the terms of the contract.
In addition, investigators documented the facts of forgery of documents submitted for state registration of a legal entity that the perpetrators used in the criminal scheme. Later, they carried out a number of financial transactions in order to give the illegally obtained funds the appearance of legal ones.
The Lviv businessman was notified of suspicion under Part 3 of Art. 27, Part 4 of Art. 190, Part 2 of Art. 205-1, Part 2 of Art. 209 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (organization of fraud, forgery of documents submitted for state registration of a legal entity, and legalization of proceeds from crime). The former chairman of the board of “Ukrenergo” was detained on suspicion of committing a criminal offense under Part 4 of Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (fraud committed by a group of persons in a prior conspiracy, on an especially large scale).
The sanctions of the articles provide for a penalty of up to 12 years of imprisonment with confiscation of property. SBI investigators are preparing a petition to the court to appoint a preventive measure in the form of detention for the former owner of “Ukrenergo”. The pre-trial investigation is ongoing. The procedural management is carried out by the Prosecutor General’s Office.
