Case of extortion of 20 thousand dollars by Odesa "migrants" sent to court

Prosecutors of the Odesa Regional Prosecutor's Office have sent to court an indictment against the head of one of the State Migration Service's offices in Odesa region and his accomplice on the fact of extortion of illegal benefits for influencing decision-making by persons authorized to perform state functions.

This was reported by the press service of the Odesa Regional Prosecutor's Office.

The investigation claims that the manager and his subordinate extorted USD 20 thousand from a citizen of the Republic of Moldova for assistance in avoiding deportation.

They promised the foreigner to influence colleagues and judges to make a positive decision in his favor in the case of forced return to the country of origin and a ban on entry to Ukraine.

Within the framework of the criminal proceedings, searches were conducted at the suspects' residences and workplaces. A large amount of cash, real estate and cars were found. The estimated value of the found items is over UAH 82 million.

At the request of the prosecutor, the official and his subordinate were chosen as a measure of restraint in the form of detention with an alternative of bail in the amount of UAH 70 million and UAH 7 million, respectively. They are currently in custody.

The defendants have been suspended from their positions, and the seized property has been arrested.

The head of the migration control department in Odesa region and an employee of the same department were exposed for bribery in June. During searches in their homes and offices, law enforcement officers found money, cryptocurrency, jewelry and other property totaling more than UAH 140 million, which is significantly higher than their official income. The jewelry of the executive's wife is estimated at almost UAH 3 million.

Кирило Бойко