Businessmen from Crimea cheated for 60 million rubles on services for schools and colonies

Six Crimean entrepreneurs were sentenced in absentia to 3-4 years in prison for cooperation with the occupation authorities, including the provision of services to the structures of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs and colonies in Crimea. They earned more than 60 million rubles and lost the right to do business in Ukraine.

This was reported by the press service of the Prosecutor's Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol.

While the whole country is fighting for its freedom, six residents of the occupied Crimea were put on trial for collaborating with the enemy. They did not just tacitly agree to the "new rules" but actively served the needs of Russian state institutions, from colonies to ministries.

According to law enforcement officials, in 2022-2023, these entrepreneurs signed contracts through the Russian public procurement platform. Through it, they organized the supply of goods and services to the structures of the aggressor state. For this, they received more than 60 million rubles from the Russian budget.

One of the entrepreneurs provided services for organizing recreation for the families of the participants of the armed conflict for the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Tula region and the Department of Logistics of State Educational Institutions of Sevastopol.

Another entrepreneur supplied construction materials for the Correctional Colony No. 2 of the Department of the Federal Penitentiary Service in the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol.

Other convicts cooperated with such structures as the "Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation in the city of Yevpatoriya", "Medical and Sanitary Unit of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Crimea", "Correctional Colony No. 1" of the Department of the Federal Penitentiary Service in the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, as well as with the Ministry of Education and Science of Zaporizhzhia region, etc.

The defendants are representatives of Krymtorg, Mandarin Printing House, Sevil, and several private entrepreneurs. According to the court, they were found guilty of collaboration (Part 4 of Article 111-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). All of them were sentenced to 3 to 4 years in prison, banned from doing business for 10 years and their property was confiscated.

Law enforcement has also completed an investigation into an intermediary in the Boyko tower case who facilitated the withdrawal of hundreds of millions of dollars during the purchase of drilling platforms for work off Crimea. The accused faces up to 12 years in prison.

In addition, two foreigners suspected of organizing a channel for selling counterfeit dollars through occupied Crimea were extradited to Ukraine. Both were detained, and a pre-trial investigation into their involvement in an international currency counterfeiting scheme is underway.

Анна Літман