Police investigate possible falsification of MP security firm in Odesa

The police are investigating in a criminal proceeding over the illegal actions of officials of a utility company during the procurement of security services.

This was reported by the publication "Anti-Corruption Dimension", citing a court ruling.

The ruling does not provide details of the transaction, namely, which companies are involved, but monitoring of the Prozorro public procurement system, according to journalists, suggests that it is a purchase of security services by the Odessmiskelektrotrans utility company from Samson Group-06, a company owned by Andriy Babenko, a deputy of the Odesa Regional Council from the Batkivshchyna party.

In December 2024, the companies entered into an agreement worth UAH 9 million 350 thousand, and under this agreement, the company was to provide security for the utility's facilities with the involvement of 34 security guards. However, investigators learned from open sources that the company had officially hired 10 employees. The investigators suspected that the management of the security company was trying to conceal the real status of the employed persons and create imaginary opportunities for providing security services.

While monitoring the procurement portal, investigators found that the contractor had been submitting proposals for the provision of security services to other clients since the beginning of 2025. And in these proposals, he allegedly indicated a larger number of employees than those officially employed by the company.

In order to clarify all the circumstances, law enforcement officers asked the court to allow access to things and documents. The court granted the investigators' request.

Samson-Group-06 LLC, according to the YouControl analytical platform, has been operating for eight and a half years. The company is run by Victoria Babenko, and the owners are Andriy Babenko and Tamara Vornikoy. According to Andriy Babenko 's declaration, Victoria Babenko is his wife.

Intent has asked Andriy Babenko for a comment on this information, but has not yet received a response.

Кирило Бойко