Top officials of the Luhansk region are suspected of embezzling UAH 5 million from state procurement

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has uncovered a scheme to embezzle UAH 5 million of budget funds during state procurement in the Luhansk region. The head of one of the administrationʼs departments and her deputy were detained.

This is reported by SBU.

According to the investigation, the officials artificially created the appearance of competition in tenders and made sure that the right companies won them. In return, they received monthly kickbacks.

The money was transferred through postal items, in particular from Kropyvnytskyi and Transcarpathia. In this way, the suspects tried to hide the origin of the funds.

During the searches, their phones, computers, records of kickback calculations, and cash were seized.

Both officials, as well as their accomplice — the owner of an affiliated company — have already been charged under Part 4 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — large-scale misappropriation of property through abuse of official position under martial law. They face up to 8 years in prison.

The investigation is identifying other possible participants in the scheme.

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