Odesa Director Detained for $130K Bribe to Manipulate Justice

The director of a local enterprise was detained in Odesa for promising to help a suspect avoid imprisonment in exchange for 130,000 USD (approximately 5.4 million UAH).

This was reported by the Odesa Regional Prosecutor's Office.

According to the investigation, the head of the LLC extorted money from a man who had recently been exposed for corruption. In exchange for a huge bribe, he guaranteed a change in the preventive measure to a lighter one, and in the long run, the complete closure of the case.

He claimed that he had influence on judges and law enforcement officers and could "solve the issue." He also emphasized that without him, the suspect "will not get out".

Photo: Odesa Regional Prosecutor's Office.

Law enforcement officers detained the suspect red-handed - during the transfer of the first tranche of $80,000. A custody with the possibility of bail in excess of 5 million hryvnias was chosen as a measure of restraint.

Earlier in Odesa, the deputy head of a department of the Main Department of the State Geocadastre of the region was detained for bribery. The official organized a scheme to extort illegal benefits for the provision of permits. He demanded USD 3,000 from a local resident for preparing a land management project and facilitating the allocation of a land plot to private ownership. At the same time, the official threatened to create obstacles if he refused the bribe.

The SBU, together with the police, also detained a member of a civil society organization in Odesa who is suspected of facilitating the illegal departure of men abroad and unimpeded movement through the territory of Ukraine for bribes.

Earlier, Marat Kasimov , acting director of the Department of Architecture and Urban Development, was detained in Odesa while receiving a USD 10,000 bribe.

Ірина Глухова