The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO), together with the Internal Security Department of the National Police, have served a former head of the State Migration Service of Ukraine with a notice of suspicion of misappropriation of over UAH 88 million. This was reported by the NABU press service.
Thus, as noted, the last link in the vertical of former SMS officials involved in the scheme was exposed. The suspect's actions are classified under Part 5 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
According to the investigation, in 2015, the State Migration Service received a building in the centre of Kyiv from the state to set up its headquarters.
The businessman, who had long been in "friendly" relations with representatives of the SMS and other officials, organised a scheme to embezzle budget funds using controlled entities within the migration service.
According to the NABU and SAPO, he engaged the former head of the SMS, his deputy and the head of the SMS economic unit to facilitate the conclusion of contracts with companies under his control for design and construction works by distorting the results of the bidding process and ensuring payment for "works and services".
For several years, the criminal group has been embezzling budget funds by overstating the cost of work performed, issuing "empty acts" and duplicating work. As a result, the reconstruction of the State Migration Service's central office building has not been completed, computer systems with the relevant software exist only on paper, and the companies responsible for the reconstruction have gone into hiding.
As a result of the scheme, the budget suffered losses in excess of UAH 88 million.
In September 2023, the former deputy head and head of the economic department of the State Migration Service, as well as the businessman who organised the scheme, were served with a notice of suspicion.
The materials collected by the NABU detectives during the pre-trial investigation helped the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine to identify the collusion of three companies controlled by the businessman and fine them almost UAH 3.5 million.
For its part, the Anti-Corruption Action Centre provides details of the case. The case involves former heads of the SMS and a businessman from the Russian Federation who had long been on friendly terms with the service's officials.
Earlier, former Deputy Head of the Migration Service Donskoy, former Head of the SMS Resource and Economic Support Department Vakalyuk, and businessman Salhereyev were served with suspicion notices.
According to the investigation, the former head of the SMS assisted businessman Salhereyev in concluding agreements on design and construction work and making payments for uncompleted work and services not rendered.
The Anti-Corruption Action Centre notes that from 2015 to 2021, the head of the State Migration Service was Maksym Sokolyuk.
In 2021, NABU detectives searched his office, after which he was fired. However, Sokolyuk himself stated that the decision to dismiss him was not related to the searches.