Odesa City Council officials and businessmen are suspected of embezzling half of the money for military burials

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the National Police are investigating a scheme to embezzle budget funds in Odesa that were allocated for the burial of fallen soldiers.

This was reported by the press service of SBU.

Investigators found that the participants in the scheme — Odesa City Council officials and local businessmen — embezzled almost half of the money intended for the funeral.

The participants concluded contracts at inflated prices and divided the difference between themselves. The examination confirmed that the participants in the scheme misappropriated over 2.1 million hryvnias out of 4.8 million hryvnias that the Odesa City Council allocated for the installation of 88 monuments.

Law enforcement officers informed the organizers and participants of the scheme of suspicion under Part 4, 5 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. They will be subject to preventive measures.

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