In the Kyiv region, law enforcement officers have exposed three individuals who, according to investigators, organized a large-scale scheme to embezzle funds from the local budget. These are the director and chief economist of one of the private utility companies, as well as a former official of the Buchanan City Council. During 2021–2023, they illegally appropriated more than 13 million hryvnias.
This was reported by the Kyiv region police.
Investigators found that the director and chief economist of the enterprise intentionally overestimated the difference between the current tariffs for utility services for the population and actual costs. These are tariffs for heat supply, water supply, and sewage.
They passed the inflated figures to the head of one of the departments of the Buchanan City Council. According to the investigation, the official did not organize any verification of these calculations, although she was supposed to do so within the scope of her official duties. As a result, the community budget unjustifiably reimbursed the enterprise for more than 13 million hryvnias.
Law enforcement officers informed the director and the economist about suspicion under Part 5 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - misappropriation of property entrusted to a person or under his/her control, in particularly large amounts. The sanction of the article provides for up to 12 years of imprisonment with confiscation of property.
The former city council official is suspected of official negligence, which caused grave consequences (Part 2 of Article 367 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). She faces up to 5 years in prison.
The investigation is ongoing. The police emphasized that further investigative actions are being carried out to establish the full range of individuals involved.
