Odesa businessman placed under house arrest for attempting to bribe a minister for a position

The High Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine has placed the founder of the Fish Time Group Limited Liability Company under house arrest and banned him from leaving Odesa.

As stated in the court's ruling, the prosecutor demanded a pre-trial restraint in the form of detention, but the court decided to impose a nightly house arrest from 22:00 to 6:00 the next day.

Investigators stated that the founder of the LLC wanted to deceive his friend by posing as a person close to the leadership of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, the State Property Fund of Ukraine, and the State Agency for Land Reclamation and Fisheries. He stated that he had the opportunity to ensure the victim's appointment as director of the state fishing company Fishing Company S.A.

In March 2024, while at the Cellini restaurant in Odesa, the suspect, according to the investigation, stated that the appointment would be possible only if he transferred an undue benefit of USD 300 thousand to the Deputy Minister and Acting Head of the Agency. Later, he changed the wording of his demands, indicating that the company would be transferred to the State Property Fund and the funds would be transferred through it.

Under the control of law enforcement officers, the victim handed over USD 30 thousand, which the suspect accepted, saying that he would transfer it to the Minister of Agrarian Policy. After receiving the money, the suspect immediately transferred it to a third party for storage. He had no intention of transferring the money to public officials, had no influence on the appointment process, and implemented a fraudulent scheme to seize property.

The suspect was charged with the following duties: to arrive at the first call; not to leave Odesa without permission; to report changes in his place of residence or place of work; to refrain from communicating with a number of people and to deposit his passports.

Кирило Бойко