Doctor from Odesa embezzled money from medical institution evacuated from Luhansk region

Ukrainian special services have exposed the former head of a polyclinic evacuated from Luhansk region for embezzling large amounts of budget funds.

According to the SBU, the former director of the primary health care center, who moved to Odesa region after being evacuated from the occupied Luhansk region in 2022, organized a scheme to misappropriate funds from the territorial community. After his appointment in January 2023, he artificially inflated salaries, bonuses and allowances for himself and his wife, whom he appointed as his deputy.

According to the investigation, in June 2023, the director illegally accrued a bonus of 3000% of his official salary, and 600% for his wife. In total, 11 similar cases of overpayment were identified.

An audit initiated by the SBU and a forensic economic examination established losses to the community budget in the amount of about UAH 830 thousand.

According to the Center for Public Investigations, the person in question is Roman Trofymenko, a doctor from Odesa who became the head of the Novopskov Territorial Medical Association in February 2023.

The Novopskov settlement military administration was looking for a head for the district medical association through the Sievierodonetsk Employment Center. Roman Trofymenko, an infectious disease doctor with more than 20 years of experience who had previously applied for the position of director of the Odesa Regional Health Department, was awarded the position.

Trofymenko specializes in infectious diseases, hepatology and gastroenterology, and has the highest medical category. He speaks Ukrainian, Russian and French.

According to the court decision, the doctor is under arrest, but can be released on bail in the amount of UAH 657,076. During searches in his house, forged documents and other evidence of illegal activity were found.

Meanwhile, the SBI reported exposing an organized group of doctors who helped healthy men of military age obtain medical documents that allowed the medical and social expert commission to declare them unfit for service.

In addition, SBU and police officers detained two heads of city hospital departments and the secretary of the head of the local medical and social expert commission in Odesa.

Ірина Глухова