Odesa Railways official arrested for scheme on "dead" soul

In Odesa, a court has imposed a pre-trial restraint on a railroad official suspected of embezzlement and forgery. According to the investigation, he had been paying salaries for years to an employee who did not actually show up for work.

This was reported by the Center for Public Investigations.

A court in Odesa has considered an investigator's motion to impose a pre-trial restraint on the head of the production unit of the power supply service of the Odesa Railways, who is suspected of embezzlement and forgery. The case concerns a long-term scheme of illegal salary payments to a subordinate.

According to the investigation, the unit's electrician never actually showed up for work or performed his duties between 2021 and January 2025. Despite this, his supervisor systematically signed time sheets and payment documents stating that the employee allegedly worked in full.

Thus, over several years, more than UAH 504 thousand in salary and additional payments were illegally accrued in favor of the absent employee. These funds, as established, were paid at the expense of the enterprise, which caused material damage to the state-owned company.

In addition to embezzlement, the investigation charges the official with entering false information into official documents. In particular, he signed report cards and information that created the appearance of real work of a subordinate. At the end of March, the man was notified of suspicion of embezzlement and forgery.

The court partially granted the investigation's request and imposed a measure of restraint in the form of nightly house arrest. The suspect is prohibited from leaving his home from 22:00 to 06:00, except in cases of air raid alert. The restrictions will be in effect for 60 days.

In March, in Mykolaiv, the head of a railroad car depot pulled off a scheme with fictitious employment of his son to protect him from mobilization, and at the same time embezzled funds through"dead souls." The court approved the plea agreement and sentenced him to a term of imprisonment.

Анна Бальчінос