The SBI suspects the former Minister of the Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry of billions of dollars of misuse of state property (VIDEO)

The SBI has served a notice of suspicion to the former Minister of the Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine. His official negligence led to budget losses of almost UAH 1.5 billion in favor of one of the gas oligarchs.

It was established that on the instructions of the head of the Ministry, his subordinates entered into agreements with a well-known businessman's structures that were purposefully unprofitable for the state. In particular, they artificially "wrote off" funds for the operation of state property to businessmen in violation of the Cabinet of Ministers Resolution.

The amount of revenues lost to the budget for the period from May 2017 to December 2020 is UAH 1 billion 488 million.

In May 2022, the investigating judge of the Pecherskyi District Court of Kyiv seized the corporate rights of 26 gas distribution system operators and transferred them to the management of the ARMA. They are currently managed by the State Joint Stock Company Chornomornaftogaz.

Specialists of the State Audit Service of Ukraine have already completed the analysis of the criminal proceedings. Based on its results, a certificate was drawn up confirming that the state suffered UAH 1 billion 488 million in damages and identifying the officials of the Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry who committed violations of the law.

The former minister was served a notice of suspicion under Part 2 of Art. 367 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

The sanction of the article provides for a sentence of up to five years.

The Prosecutor General's Office is providing procedural guidance.