Mykolaiv Region Investigates ₴2.9M Education Embezzlement Scheme

Mykolaiv region is investigating a large-scale corruption scheme in the education department, where the former management allegedly embezzled almost 3 million budget funds intended for salaries to educators. The court granted access to bank documents as part of the criminal proceedings.

The Snihuriv District Court of Mykolaiv Region has granted temporary access to bank documents as part of an investigation into large-scale embezzlement of budget funds. The case concerns the embezzlement of more than UAH 2.9 million intended to pay salaries to pedagogical staff of municipal general secondary education institutions.

According to the investigation, during 2020-2023, the former head of the Education Department, acting for selfish reasons, awarded inflated bonuses to employees of educational institutions without supporting documents. By prior conspiracy, the employees returned part of these funds to the head of the institution, in particular, by transferring them to bank accounts designated by the head of the institution.

Investigators found that this position was held by a person who was authorized to manage budget funds from August 2020 to April 2023. During this time, she allegedly organized a scheme to embezzle the educational subvention, involving her subordinates.

Based on the prosecutor's motion, the court granted temporary access to the documents of the banking institution, including information that constitutes bank secrecy. In case of refusal to provide the relevant documents, law enforcement officers have the right to apply for a search warrant. The investigation is currently ongoing.

The criminal proceedings were opened on the grounds of offenses under Part 4 of Article 191 and Part 4 of Article 185 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - misappropriation and embezzlement of property in a particularly large scale.

The former division commander in the Kherson sector also turned the service into his own source of enrichment - he systematically demanded bribes from his subordinates. The military were forced to give him money, buy equipment, children's goods, and provide personal services. The amount of illegal extortion reached at least one million hryvnias.

At the same time, the SBI completed an investigation into a city council member from Kirovohrad region who, together with his accomplices, ran a scheme to supply low-quality clothing to the military from Kherson region. Instead of certified uniforms, the defenders received cheap fakes that only looked like uniforms but did not meet any standards.

Анна Бальчінос