A criminal scheme involving the purchase of sugar for municipal hospitals and social institutions has been uncovered in Kharkiv. The heads of the institutions acted in collusion with private entrepreneurs and a company, systematically inflating prices and embezzling budget funds.
According to the investigation, the scheme involves individual entrepreneurs Lutsenko Yana, individual entrepreneurs Chuchkina Olga, individual entrepreneurs Shlyakhov Grigory, and LLC "ISPOLIN PLUS". They became the only tender participants and actual winners, offering a price 25–40% higher than the market price.
Thus, in February 2025, the University Hospital purchased 300 kilograms of sugar at a price of 44.6 UAH/kg, while in retail chains the average cost was about 34 UAH. In May of the same year, the Territorial Center of the Saltivskyi District purchased sugar at 44.5 UAH/kg at a market price of 33 UAH.
At the Slobozhanska Hospital, the situation was even worse - the procurement contract was not published at all in the ProZorro system, which is a direct violation of the law and evidence of attempts to hide the real terms of the agreement.
The scheme was covered up by representatives of the tax and other regulatory authorities, who received ill-gotten gains and did not conduct inspections. This allowed the embezzlement to continue with impunity.
In this regard, a complaint was filed with a demand to check all sugar procurement tenders in Kharkiv, conduct an audit of expenses, and hold all officials involved accountable.
