Man detained in Odesa for offering to work for SBU for $25,000

Police detained a man in Odesa who demanded $25,000 from a man for assistance in getting him employed by the Security Service of Ukraine.

According to the press service of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Odesa region, the man promised to influence law enforcement officials to make a positive decision.

Investigators served the suspect a notice of suspicion. He faces up to eight years in prison. According to the investigation, a 33-year-old resident of Odesa extorted $25,000 from a young man who intended to be employed by the Security Service of Ukraine. For this amount, the offender guaranteed him employment. At the same time, in case of refusal, he threatened that it would be problematic to get a job in a law enforcement agency.

Investigators of the Investigative Department of the Main National Police in Odesa region together with operatives of the SBU Main Directorate of Internal Security documented the illegal actions. Law enforcement officers recorded the receipt of a part of the bribe in the amount of USD 9 thousand by the offender and detained him.

Based on the collected evidence, the detainee was served a notice of suspicion of obtaining an unlawful benefit for influencing the decision-making of a person authorized to perform state functions, combined with extortion of such benefit (Part 3 of Article 369-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The article provides for up to eight years of imprisonment with confiscation of property.

The court imposed on the suspect a custodial measure of restraint with the right to be released on bail in the amount of almost one million hryvnias.

Earlier, law enforcement officers served a notice of suspicion of influence peddling to the commander of a security platoon of one of the district territorial centers of manning and social support in Odesa and his accomplice.

Кирило Бойко