The colonel and Lviv businessman were exposed in a scheme involving money laundering on defense purchases. Both were detained

The head of the Department of the Support Forces Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and his accomplice, the general director of the Lviv defense goods supplier company, were exposed in the embezzlement scheme. Both were caught red-handed during an attempt to receive a bribe.

This was reported by the SBU.

According to the investigation, the colonel of the AFU and the head of the Lviv company set up a scheme of kickbacks during the conclusion of contracts for defense orders. The military was supposed to receive a bribe from the businessman — almost $45,000, for which he promised to conclude a contract on the supply of defense goods for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The SBU detained both persons involved during the transfer of the first tranche — $14.6 thousand. At the same time, the amount of the entrepreneurʼs planned agreement with the Armed Forces of Ukraine was 36 million hryvnias. The law enforcement officers say that they blocked the sale of the device and conducted more than 30 searches at the workplaces and residences of the suspects in Kyiv and Lviv, where they seized:

• computers, mobile phones, electronic media, documents and draft accounting records with evidence of a criminal scheme;
• almost 10 million in cash in hryvnia equivalent, the origin of which is being investigated.

Currently, both detainees have been notified of suspicion under two articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine: Part 3 of Art. 368 (acceptance of an offer, promise or receipt of an unlawful benefit by an official), Part 3 of Art. 369 (offer, promise or provision of undue benefit to an official).

The court chose a preventive measure for them — detention with the right to post a bail of 10 million hryvnias. Perpetrators face up to ten years in prison with confiscation of property.