Officer of maritime university in Odesa exposed for extortion

In one of Odesa's higher education institutions, law enforcement officers exposed a scheme to extort money from students for passing an exam. During the searches, tens of thousands of dollars and euros, as well as envelopes with the names of students and teachers, were found on the suspect's person.

This was reported by the press service of the National Police in Odesa region.

Law enforcement officers eliminated a systemic corruption scheme in one of Odesa's universities, where, according to the investigation, students paid for the successful closure of sessions and avoidance of expulsion.

Investigators found that a fourth-year curator demanded USD 1600 from a student for passing six subjects, including English. In return for this money, he promised to "resolve the issue" with teachers of various disciplines and help ensure that the student was not expelled from the university.

According to preliminary data, the 53-year-old employee of the educational institution, who was responsible for the cadets, offered students with academic debts assistance with admission to the session and avoiding expulsion for a fee.

The investigation found that the man demanded $1600 from one of the graduates, who had problems with several disciplines. In return, he promised to influence university officials so that the cadet could pass the exam, get admission to the state qualifying exam and receive a bachelor's degree. In case of refusal to pay, according to law enforcement, he threatened to fail the exams and expel him.

The suspect was detained while receiving the full amount of the bribe in a car near the educational institution.

During an authorized search of the suspect's car, law enforcement found 11 envelopes with more than $4,000. They bore different names of students and teachers, which may indicate the systemic nature of the scheme. In addition, law enforcement officers seized more than 18 thousand euros and 12 thousand US dollars from the man's apartment.

The official was served a notice of suspicion of taking a bribe to influence the decision-making of public officials, combined with extortion. The article provides for up to eight years in prison with confiscation of property.

The issue of a preventive measure for the suspect is currently being decided. During the pre-trial investigation, the police will check the involvement of the course officer in similar crimes and the full range of people who could have participated in this scheme.

In March, a college employee was exposed in Odesa for demanding a bribe of 15 thousand hryvnias to "close" a student's academic debts and allow her to attend the session. The woman was detained while receiving the money and now faces up to 10 years in prison.

Анна Бальчінос