Employees of the State Bureau of Investigations (SBI) detained the former deputy head of the Central Forestry Office of the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” on suspicion of illegal enrichment and failure to declare assets totaling more than UAH 38 million.
Information about this latest case involving one of the top officials of the state-owned enterprise was published on the SBI website.
Experts from the National Agency for Corruption Prevention (NAZK) concluded that the official unjustifiably owns property worth over UAH 13 million, including luxury cars Porsche Cayenne (2019) and Mercedes-Benz (2024), as well as cash in foreign currency worth over UAH 2.5 million. In addition, investigators found expenses without confirmed sources of income amounting to another UAH 6 million.
Photo: dbr.gov.ua.
Photo: dbr.gov.ua.
In addition to the aforementioned property, the former deputy head of the Central Forestry Office “forgot” to include assets worth over UAH 25 million in his declaration, including:
- three apartments in Zhytomyr, Kyiv, and Odesa;
- bank accounts and financial transactions;
- his wife's income – the defendant registered illegally obtained property in her name after a fictitious divorce.
Photo: dbr.gov.ua.
According to the DBR, the dishonest forester has extensive experience in this field, having worked for a long time in management positions in Zhytomyr, Vinnytsia, and Kyiv regions. In January of this year, he moved from the Central Office to the Capital Forest Office branch of the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” as its head.
According to preliminary data, the official enriched himself by tens of millions of hryvnias through schemes involving three companies managed by people close to him. How it worked: the suspect helped state forestry agencies to conclude contracts with them for various works. Then these works were not performed, but were paid for from the state budget.
Investigators conducted searches at the official's home, workplace, and bank deposit boxes. They seized documents proving the embezzlement of funds and property, as well as cash and other evidence.
Photo: dbr.gov.ua.
After the searches, the corrupt forester was dismissed from his position. He was notified of suspicion under two articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:
- Part 2 of Article 366-2 — declaration of false information;
- Article 368-5 — illegal enrichment.
Now the former official of “Forests of Ukraine” faces up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property. Currently, a preventive measure is being chosen for him, and investigators are establishing the circle of all persons involved in the embezzlement of budget funds and illegal operations with timber.
Recently, EcoPolitic reported on the exposure of the head of the Berehove Forestry Department of the Carpathian Forest Office branch of the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine,” who organized a criminal scheme. With its help, the official sold valuable oak wood at the price of firewood.
