Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau and Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office said they had exposed an organized group that, according to investigators, misappropriated 100,000 tonnes of oil products belonging to PJSC “Ukrnafta” and laundered proceeds from their sale. The preliminary amount of losses exceeds UAH 2.88 billion.
This was reported by the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office.
In the first episode of the alleged criminal activity, covering the period from 2017 to 2020, four participants in the scheme were notified of suspicion.
They include a high-level organizer whom investigators link to one of the business groups that effectively controlled Ukraine’s oil sector, as well as a lower-level organizer who, according to investigators, coordinated the actions of the executors and the concealment of the alleged criminal activity.
The chairman of the board and the deputy chairman of the board for commercial affairs of joint-stock companies controlled by the same business group were also notified of suspicion.
In addition, a written notice of suspicion was prepared for a former vice president of PJSC “Ukrnafta”, in which the state holds a controlling stake. As the individual is a foreign national, the documents were sent abroad for service under international cooperation procedures.
According to NABU and SAPO, members of the alleged scheme arranged for the transfer of oil products to a controlled company through commission agreements. Part of the products was then transferred to other related companies for sale through a network of gas stations and through wholesale trade.
Investigators allege that proceeds from the sales were transferred to controlled companies, including entities abroad.
The pre-trial investigation was conducted with operational support from the Security Service of Ukraine. At the same time, NABU said that during the investigation it uncovered leaks of information about planned investigative and procedural actions.
According to investigators, a senior SBU official whose unit was providing operational support in the criminal proceedings may have been involved in the alleged disclosure of confidential pre-trial investigation information.
