SBI completed the investigation into the Hrynkevychs case

The State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) completed a pre-trial investigation into a Lviv businessman and members of a criminal organization who supplied poor-quality military clothing for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for more than a billion hryvnias.

This was reported by SBI.

The defense was given access to the materials of the criminal proceedings, after which the indictment will be sent to the court.

An entrepreneur from Lviv led the scheme, in which he involved his son and others. Last year, the companies controlled by him concluded agreements with the Ministry of Defense for the supply of military clothing for over 1.8 billion hryvnias. During 2023, under these contracts, the Ministry of Defense received clothing worth almost 1.2 billion. According to the conclusions of the examinations, the clothing did not meet the technical requirements of the agreements due to its low quality, it could not be used for its intended purpose. As a result, state losses reached 1.167 billion hryvnias.

SBI did not specify the names of those involved, but according to the case materials, it is Lviv businessman Ihor Hrynkevych and his son Roman.

SBI detained the members of the criminal organization and informed them of the suspicions. Precautionary measures were chosen for the extras in the form of detention, one of them was declared an international wanted person.

The organizer of the scheme and his accomplices are accused of creating and leading a criminal organization, as well as participating in it, fraud in particularly large amounts and legalization of property obtained through crime (Article 255, Article 190, Article 209 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). For this, they face up to 15 years in prison.

In order to compensate the damages caused to the state, the SBI seized the property of the suspects.

The case of the Hrynkevychs

In 2023, the State Bureau of Investigation began an investigation into the fact of the procurement of clothing and underwear for the Armed Forces. The companies of Lviv businessman Ihor Hrynkevych won 23 tenders for the supply of clothing to the Ministry of Defense worth over 1.5 billion hryvnias. The companies did not fulfill their obligations or did it improperly, which caused the state more than a billion hryvnias in losses.

On December 29, 2023, the businessman tried to pay a $500 000 bribe to an investigator of the State Bureau of Investigation — then he was detained. Currently, the Ministry of Defense has terminated all contracts with Hrynkevychʼs companies, and the court has seized the property of his family and companies controlled by him.

Hrynkevychʼs son, Roman, is also involved in the case of the procurement of clothing for the army. He tried to leave the country and was detained on January 22, 2024 in Odesa. Three more people involved in the procurement case were also detained — they, Ihor and Roman Hrynkevich are currently in custody.

Also, the State Bureau of Investigation has a decree to seize the property of the ex-fiancée of Roman Hrynkevych, the artist Sofia Morozyuk. Morozyuk herself rejects suspicions that she received apartments, cars or real estate from Roman Hrynkevych or his family. Morozyuk assures that during the period of the relationship, she received only an engagement ring and a necklace, which she promised to sell.

In April, the Pechersk District Court of Kyiv seized the Czech real estate of Roman Hrynkevych — the house and the land under it in Prague.

For more news and in-depth stories from Ukraine please follow us on X.