The State Bureau of Investigation has uncovered a large-scale scheme to embezzle budget funds intended for the purchase of military goods. At the center of the criminal scam is a businessman from Luhansk region, who is suspected of embezzling over 35 million hryvnias during martial law.
According to the investigation, in 2023–2024, the businessman concluded a number of contracts based on simplified procurement with three military units and one village council. The contracts provided for the supply of quadcopters, night vision devices, and other special-purpose goods. However, after receiving money into his individual entrepreneur's accounts, the defendant began to actively withdraw funds through a number of fictitious companies.
The counterparties to whom millions of hryvnias were transferred had neither licenses, nor production facilities, nor access to import the relevant products. In fact, not a single drone or night vision device was delivered. The money was actually "laundered" under the guise of deliveries that did not exist.
The entrepreneur was informed of suspicion under two articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - Part 5 of Article 191 (misappropriation of property in especially large amounts under martial law) and Part 3 of Article 209 (laundering of proceeds of crime). If found guilty, he faces up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property.
