Massive medical fraud probe launched in Mykolaiv region over

Investigators in Mykolaiv region are investigating a large-scale scheme of possible fraud in the healthcare sector. It is alleged that employees of local municipal medical institutions could have repeatedly forged medical records over several years.

This was reported by the Center for Public Investigations with reference to the ruling of the Pervomaisk City District Court of Mykolaiv Oblast.

According to the investigation, they entered false data into the electronic healthcare system to create the impression that certain citizens had signed declarations with doctors or received medical services from them.

In fact, according to the police, some of these patients have been abroad for a long time, have never seen a doctor, and some have even died. Such records allowed medical institutions to receive additional funds from the budget for "servicing" fictitious clients.

The police received information about the possible abuses in December 2024 during operational work. To find out who exactly was involved in the scheme, investigators asked the court to provide access to the full data of patients - names, dates of birth, tax numbers, addresses, phone numbers - as well as records of medical appointments and dates of declarations with family doctors in 2022-2024.

The court allowed the investigators to access the full personal data of patients (name, date of birth, TIN, address, phone number) who made declarations or received medical care in the specified municipal institutions between January 1, 2022 and December 14, 2024. It is also allowed to obtain information about medical appointments, dates of declarations and other technical data from medical information systems owned by a private IT company that maintains these systems.

The access was granted for a period of two months. In case of refusal to provide documents, the investigation will be able to request a search.

The investigation is currently ongoing. The police are trying to identify specific individuals who may have falsified records in the system, as well as witnesses who can confirm this.

In Mykolaiv region, a corruption scheme is also being investigated in the education department. The former head of this department, acting for selfish reasons, awarded inflated bonuses to school employees without proper documents. The employees were forced to return part of these funds to her.

Meanwhile, in early April, the director of the Sviatoslav Biloberezhzhia National Nature Park was released from the Mykolaiv pre-trial detention center after posting bail. He is suspected of misappropriation of other people's property. He forced park employees to pay 200% of their monthly bonuses. Those who refused were intimidated with layoffs or transfer to freelance work.

Анна Бальчінос