The SBI exposed the head of State Food Service for embezzelment of millions

The SBI employees exposed the heads of the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection (hereinafter – SSUFSCP) for embezzlement of over 2.5 mln hryvnias of state funds.

It was found that the management of the SSUFSCP has arranged a scam with the fictitious purchase of software to obtain the funds. For this purpose, a tender for the creation of software was organized, which was won by a predetermined company.

At the beginning of last year, the software worth about 2.5 million hryvnias was ordered, but in fact, nobody was going to do anything, because a functionally analogous program was already working for the State Service for Food and Agriculture. The scammers had managed to prepare documents on the execution of the work and transferred the money to the contractor. However, the SBI investigators together with SSU operatives exposed the scam and seized the money on the account.

The head of the SSUFSCP, his deputy, two department heads, one former employee, and a private businessman were charged under Part 5 of Article 191 of the CC of Ukraine (Embezzlement of property by malversation on an especially large scale) and Part 2 of Article 366 (Forgery in office) of the CC of Ukraine.

The sanction of the article provides for imprisonment for up to 12 years.

Procedural guidance into this criminal proceeding is provided by the Prosecutor General’s Office.