Director of Kherson region firm suspected of embezzling 100 million from shelters

Investigators of the Kherson Police Department have served a notice of suspicion to the head of a private company suspected of misappropriating budget funds while performing work on shelters.

This was reported by the Communication Department of the Kherson Regional Police.

As law enforcement officers found out during the pre-trial investigation, in 2024, the customer and the contractor signed a contract for the reconstruction of a protective structure with the arrangement of a dual-purpose shelter in one of the medical institutions of Kherson. The total amount of the contract exceeded UAH 101 million.

According to the investigation, the director of the company, using his official position, entered false information about the scope and cost of construction work into the acts of completion. In particular, the documentation indicated works and materials that were not actually performed or installed at the facility.

The forensic construction and technical examinations confirmed the systematic overstatement of construction, electrical, engineering and finishing works, as well as the inclusion of equipment and materials that were not available at the facility. As a result of these actions, the state budget suffered losses in the amount of about five million hryvnias, which is a particularly large amount.

In addition, police investigators are investigating another criminal proceeding related to the possible misappropriation of budget funds during the overhaul of a protective structure in one of the educational institutions of Kherson district in 2023. In this case, the established losses exceed half a million hryvnias.

The investigation is ongoing. Law enforcement officers are working to compensate for the damage and identify other persons who may be involved in the crimes. They are also checking the actions of officials of the contracting authorities for possible abuse, negligence and participation in the scheme of misappropriation of funds. Based on the results of the checks, their actions will be given a legal assessment.

The suspect faces up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property and a ban on holding certain positions or engaging in certain activities.

Also in Kherson, the prosecutor's office tried to terminate the contract between the city's capital construction department and the contractor through the court. The case concerns the overhaul of the school's assembly hall and gymnasium.

Анна Бальчінос