Head of village council in Odesa region fined for abuse of influence

Tarutino District Court of Odesa Region approved a plea agreement between the prosecutor and Budzhak village head Ivan Kusse, who was accused of influence peddling.

According to the court' s verdict, the village head was fined 8 thousand tax-free minimum incomes, which amounts to UAH 136 thousand.

It is worth noting that the Criminal Code of Ukraine provides for a fine of two thousand to five thousand five hundred tax-free minimum incomes or imprisonment for a term of two to five years under Article 369-2, which means that the village head was sentenced to one of the lightest penalties under the law.

The investigation established that in February 2025, the director of the Discosvit Limited Liability Company came to the premises of the Budzhak village council of the Bolhrad district of Odesa region to obtain land plots for the cultivation of perennial vineyards. He met with the village head, who informed him about the upcoming council meeting where a decision on the sale of the desired land plot at a land auction was planned. Ivan Cusse invited the businessman to a nearby cafe and said he could influence the deputies to make the necessary decision.

However, it was not free - for the lease of four land plots on the territory of Budzhak village council of Bolhrad district, Odesa region, he had to give him an undue benefit in the amount of USD 12 thousand, i.e. USD 3 thousand for each land plot. The entrepreneur had to give him USD 3 thousand as an advance payment. The second part of the previously agreed unlawful benefit in the amount of USD 9 thousand was to be transferred immediately after the session of the village council.

In February 2025, the head of the Budzhak community of Bolhrad district, Ivan Kusse, who was removed from office by the deputies at an extraordinary session on February 19, stated that he would not appeal the court decision, which was guided by the elected officials.

Кирило Бойко