Corruption and money laundering: how a school in Odesa took three years to repair

A case has been opened in Odesa over alleged embezzlement during the overhaul of Lyceum No. 12, which cost more than UAH 68 million. The contract for the work was awarded without a tender to a company that had previously been involved in criminal cases related to alleged money laundering.

The Centerfor Public Investigations found out what "red flags" are hidden in the history of the company that is carrying out the repairs at the lyceum.

The project itself involves major repairs to the building of the educational institution on Marselska Street, as well as renovation of the surrounding area. The documentation has already been approved, and the project is underway. The client is a municipal institution responsible for the financial and economic activities of educational institutions in the Peresypskyi district.

SCREENSHOT: Prozorro

As part of the work, it is planned to completely renovate the infrastructure: replace the pavement of courtyards and playgrounds, install a new fence, and arrange barrier-free access with ramps, tactile tiles, and a lift. In the building itself, windows, doors, and the roof are to be replaced, the facade is to be insulated, entrances are to be repaired, and a fire escape and new drainage system are to be installed. The total cost of the project is estimated at over UAH 82 million.

The tender for the work was announced in July 2024 through the Prozorro system, and Stimax was the only participant and was awarded the contract. Initially, the repairs were planned to be completed by the end of 2025, but later the deadline was extended to mid-2026, and the funding was divided into several stages.

According to the analytical platform YouControl, Stimax was registered in Odesa in 2015 with a registered capital of UAH 1200. Its founders are Oleksandr Sokolovskyi and the Faraday Closed Non-Diversified Venture Corporate Investment Fund.

In the period from 2017 to 2023, the company received over UAH 76 million by winning six government tenders.

SCREEN SHOT: YouControl

Among the customers were the Capital Construction Department of the Odesa City Council, the municipal enterprise "Heat Supply of Odesa", and the Department of Capital Construction and Roads of the Odesa Regional State Administration. The company recorded its largest income in 2024 - over UAH 68 million - thanks to a contract for the repair of Odesa Lyceum No. 12.

At the same time, the auditors found irregularities in the procurement procedure, but the court concluded that they did not affect the results of the tender and upheld the decision. Nevertheless, the contractor's activities have repeatedly been the subject of journalistic investigations. In particular, the company has been linked to business structures involved in scandals around city real estate and large construction contracts.

In addition, the court materials stated that the company was on the list of companies that could be involved in schemes to convert funds and minimize taxes. These are financial transactions in which money was transferred between a number of companies and subsequently cashed out through other structures.

SCREEN SHOT: reyestr.court.gov.ua

Already in 2026, law enforcement officers opened a case on the possible misappropriation of budget funds during the renovation of the same lyceum. According to the investigation, the contractor may have overstated the amount of work performed and the cost of materials. It was also found that the company's staff was too small to perform such large-scale work, and the company itself, according to open sources, was operating at a loss.

Currently, the future of the project depends on court decisions within the investigation, as well as on funding and new decisions by the client to continue the work.

Also in Odesa, the reconstruction of specialized school No. 75 has been going on for six years. The work was carried out by a contractor who was previously involved in a case involving embezzlement of budget funds during the renovation of the Victoria Children's Camp.

Анна Бальчінос