In the Odesa region, an accountant at a municipal enterprise is suspected of overpaying for a car

More than half a million hryvnias in budget funds may have been spent without proper oversight due to official negligence. The purchase of a vehicle for a municipal enterprise is now the subject of a criminal investigation, and the official responsible has been named as a suspect.

This was reported by the press office of the National Police in the Odesa region.

Police in the Odesa region have notified the chief accountant of one of the municipal enterprises in the Bolhrad district that she is suspected of official negligence during the purchase of a company vehicle. According to investigators, her actions resulted in losses totaling more than 622 thousand hryvnias.

<picture></picture>PHOTO: od.npu.gov.ua

According to the police, the 32-year-old woman served as the authorized representative for public procurement at the municipal utility, which provides centralized water supply to residents. She was the one who signed the contract to purchase a used Mercedes-Benz Sprinter for 1.3 million hryvnias.

According to the investigation, prior to signing the contract, the official failed to conduct a proper analysis of the vehicle’s market value and did not ensure compliance with the principles of economical and efficient use of budget funds. As a result, in December 2025, the supplier was paid an amount that, according to the investigation’s findings, exceeded the vehicle’s actual market value by 622,180 hryvnias and 9 kopecks.

Law enforcement officials opened a criminal case and conducted a series of searches, during which they seized documentation and other materials of evidentiary value.

<picture></picture>PHOTO: od.npu.gov.ua

The accountant has now been notified that she is suspected of official negligence resulting in serious consequences. The penalty under this article provides for up to five years of imprisonment, as well as disqualification from holding certain positions or engaging in certain activities for up to three years. Investigators are currently deciding on a preventive measure for the suspect. The pretrial investigation is ongoing.

Also in Odesa, participants in a scheme to embezzle funds during the repair of the port’s railway infrastructure will stand trial. According to the investigation, the state-owned enterprise suffered losses of nearly 5 million hryvnias due to inflated material costs and forged documents.

Анна Бальчінос