15 October 2026, 10:45
Case of bribery against former mayor dismissed in Kiliya
Ця стаття також доступна українською
Maksym Pereverzev, former mayor of Kiliya. PHOTO: bessarabiainform.com
The Kiliya District Court dismissed the criminal case against former Mayor Maksym Pereverzev. He was accused of extorting and accepting a bribe from a businessman in exchange for approving a location for a temporary structure.
The Center for Public Investigations examined the details of the case.
According to investigators, in September 2013, the official demanded $2,000 from the businessman in exchange for assistance in allocating a plot of land and approving the placement of a commercial facility near the former city beach. The businessman was allegedly supposed to pay half of the amount before the paperwork was processed.
According to the prosecution, the mayor received the first $1,000 of the bribe on October 1 in his official vehicle. During an examination, luminescent powder matching a sample provided for comparison was found on the banknotes, the official’s clothing, and inside the vehicle.
As reported by Intent, in November 2013, the official received the second installment of the money and was detained by law enforcement. However, he denied any involvement in the crime and claimed he had been framed.
To find out why the case ended up back in court 10 years later and what led to its dismissal, read the CPR article:Former Kiliya Mayor Acquitted in Bribery Case
According to archived material from Intent, after his arrest, Maksym Pereverzev was released from custody and later resumed his duties as mayor. In 2016, he was acquitted in this case. At the time, his attorney cast doubt on the prosecution’s evidence and pointed out the lack of confirmation of the demand for and receipt of a bribe in the surveillance video.
In October 2026, Pereverzev requested to be exempted from criminal liability due to the expiration of the statute of limitations. The prosecutor did not object to the motion.
