Former deputy director of the Polissya Forestry Office of the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” Vitaliy Sukhovych was found guilty of illicit enrichment. He declared UAH 116 million, failed to explain the origin of the funds and tried to legalize them. The court ruled to confiscate UAH 98 million in favor of the state.
This was reported by the Absolution detective agency.
Former official Vitaliy Sukhovich tried to legalize UAH 116 million through fictitious financial obligations.
When filing the declaration, he indicated that he allegedly received $1.5 million and €1.4 million for temporary use from businessman Igor Mashtaler. As confirmation, the official referred to an agreement signed on March 31, 2023.
However, the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (NAPC) found that:
- No documentary evidence of this agreement was provided.
- Borrower Masthaler also failed to provide evidence of the existence of the contract.
- The NACP concluded that Sukhovych tried to hide the real origin of the money and avoid criminal liability.
The High Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine (HACU) considered the case and approved the plea agreement at the end of May 2024.
- Sentence: 5 years in prison, replaced by 3 years of probation.
- Confiscation: UAH 98 million of illegal assets.
- Additional sanctions: ban on holding public office for a year.
In addition to financial fraud, the NACP found other violations in Sukhovych's declaration:
- He did not indicate the presence of a foreign passport, explaining that the document was seized by law enforcement officers.
- He hid his membership in the "Strength and Honor" party and the regional organization of foresters.
- He understated the value of the real estate and did not declare his son.
Based on these facts, materials were also drawn up against the official under Article 366-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (declaration of false information).
As a reminder, Sukhovych held the position of Head of the Rivne Regional Department of Forestry and Hunting until February 2023. Then he took one of the management positions in the Polissya Forest Office of the State State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine”, which was created on its basis.
As part of the open criminal proceedings, searches were conducted, including at the residence and workplace of the deputy and his family members. During the investigative actions, over 4 million US dollars in various currencies were discovered and seized in cash only.
Law enforcement officers also found three luxury cars: “AUDI Q8”, “MERCEDES-BENZ GLE 350E”, “BMW X5”, jewelry and expensive watches, including the luxury brand Patek Philippe. Gold coins, gold bars, 2 pistols, a Kalashnikov assault rifle with 16 magazines with cartridges were found.
In addition, the deputy owned four land plots in Rivne, on which he built cottages. The plots are registered in the names of nominal persons controlled by the “elected” person.
