Chief financier of Odesa region forgot about 38 plots of land of her son in her declarations

Maryna Zinchenko, director of the Department of Finance of the Odesa Regional Military Administration, failed to indicate 38 land plots belonging to her minor son in her electronic declarations for two years in a row.

This was reported by the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption based on the results of full audits of the official's declarations for 2022 and 2023.

Most of these plots - 37 - were supposed to be indicated in the declaration for 2022, the year the minor became the owner of these land plots. Maryna Zinchenko explained that she had mistakenly failed to reflect these plots because her son had been abroad since 2017. The official also noted that she had informed the NACP of her mistake when submitting her 2023 declaration. The NACP confirmed this report, but noted that she did not provide information about the plots and documents necessary to verify the land data.

However, in her declaration for 2023, Maryna Zinchenko again failed to indicate these plots, which also increased by one during that year. She referred to the fact that her son Yevhen had reached the age of majority and ceased to be the subject of her property declaration. Marna Zinchenko's minor son bought the land plots allegedly at the expense of her brother Serhiy Chaika. The official stated that her brother supported her son financially and that it was he, not Yevhen, who bought the land, but she did not provide any documents to confirm this statement to the NACP.

The price is 4-5 times cheaper than the market price

The NACP also found that the plots were purchased at a price four, and possibly five times lower than the market price. At least these calculations were provided to the agency by the Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. According to the experts, the price on the date of acquisition of the 37 plots should have been a total of UAH 9, 383, 160, not UAH 2, 200,400, which is the total amount accrued after the documents were checked. Moreover, as of December 2022, the land was worth UAH 13 million 161 thousand 250. The land was purchased during the full-scale Russian invasion in July, August, and November 2022.

Also, in her declaration for 2022, Maryna Zinchenko did not indicate where her children lived abroad, explaining that she did not rent anything there, but noted that they were accompanied in Barcelona. The NACP was unable to find out what real estate the official's sons used in Spain.

Impossible savings

For 2022, Maryna Zinchenko declared 100 thousand hryvnias, 10 thousand US dollars and 10 thousand euros in cash and explained that these were savings from her income, but the NACP calculated that the income of Maryna Zinchenko and her minor son in 2022 amounted to a total of 2 million 956 thousand 308 hryvnias, and expenses for the same year amounted to 3 million 991 thousand 479 hryvnias. So there was nothing to save.

2023

In addition to the land plots that Maryna Zinchenko forgot to indicate in her 2022 declaration and did not indicate in her 2023 declaration, she also failed to declare that her son Yevhen has owned 60% of the Prydnistrovets Fishery Company LLC since April 2023. The corporate rights on behalf of Yevhen were acquired by Marina Zinchenko herself from her brother Serhii Chaika under a power of attorney.

Maryna Zinchenko also concealed income of UAH 2 million 810.5 thousand, which she received as a result of the exchange of a share of an apartment in 2023.

Conclusion.

Thus, in 2022, the NACP found unjustified assets worth more than UAH 7.3 million and signs of false information worth more than UAH 3.1 million, and in 2023 - signs of false information worth more than UAH 5.5 million.

If a criminal case is initiated for declaring false information and the official is found guilty, she faces a fine of four thousand to six thousand tax-free minimum incomes or community service for a term of one hundred fifty to two hundred and forty hours, or restraint of liberty for up to two years, with disqualification to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for up to three years.

Кирило Бойко