A food supply scheme for closed schools was uncovered in the Mykolaiv region

In the Mykolaiv region, the head of the Department of Education, Youth, and Sports of one of the territorial communities in the Bashtanka District and an accountant have been notified of their status as suspects. They are accused of embezzling500,000 hryvniasin public fundsduring the procurement of food for educational institutions.

This was reported by the Main Directorate of the National Police in Mykolaiv Oblast.

The suspects face up to eight years in prison.

According to the investigation, between May and December 2022, a series of contracts were signed between the Department of Education and a company for the supply of food to preschool and secondary schools. At that time, schools were operating remotely, and kindergartens were closed, meaning that children were not actually receiving meals.

A 44-year-old local resident, who represented the interests of an individual entrepreneur, prepared and signed documents regarding the alleged delivery of food products. The head of the Department of Education, knowing that meals were not actually being provided, signed documents confirming the alleged receipt of the food products. Based on this, budget funds were transferred to the company.

Previously, a former director of a company in the Mykolaiv region was sentenced to seven years in prison for embezzling funds from a local community in the Pervomaiskyi district. The prosecutor’s office proved that he had forged acceptance certificates for work performed during road resurfacing. 

Юлія Калабайда