In 2017, a scandal erupted in the Kyiv region around the brand “Gavrylivskie Kurchata”. A bird cemetery was discovered in the Vyshgorod district - tens of thousands of dead chickens were buried right in the fields. This caused large-scale pollution of soil and water, people complained about the stench and children's illnesses. The damage to the environment was estimated at over 253 million UAH.
In 2018, the owners of the brand — Yevhen and Maryna Sigal — along with the branch director Ivan Zazulea were detained. The court set record bails for them from 80 to 90 million UAH. But within a week, the Court of Appeals reduced these amounts dozens of times — to 5 million UAH. Less than a year later, the prosecutor closed the case, stating that there was no element of a crime in the actions of the businessmen.
However, the problems of "Gavrylivskyi Kurchaty" did not end there. The enterprises that are part of the structure of the "Agromars" company - "Agromars Complex", "Kurgan Broiler", "Golden Cross" and "Boryspil Feed Plant" - found themselves on the verge of bankruptcy. Part of the production stopped, and creditors filed claims for almost 2 billion UAH.
The Seagals, experts say, continue to use complex corporate schemes to hide assets and siphon off wealth. Their companies minimize tax liabilities and launder profits through real estate transactions.
The “Gavrylivskyi Kurchaty” scandal has become a prime example of how large business groups can avoid criminal liability even after an obvious environmental disaster. Neither the environment nor the affected communities have received compensation for the damage caused.
