The SBI exposed the head of a Central State Probation Service of Ukraine for systematically extorting money from subordinates

The Employees of the State Bureau of Investigations, together with the Strategic Investigations Department of the National Police of Ukraine and the Internal and Own Security Department of the State Criminal-Executive Service of Ukraine, uncovered a large-scale corruption scheme in one of the key institutions of the probation system.

The organizer of criminal activity was the director of Central State Probation Service of Ukraine. The official from the capital built up a vertical chain of illegal enrichment through the heads of regional branches.

The scheme for collecting money in the Lviv region was documented. The branch manager systematically collected “bribes” from his subordinates and sent the money to the capital, disguising them it in coffee boxes. “Coffee from Lviv” was sent by post.

Five more heads of district probation departments were involved in expanding the criminal scheme throughout the Lviv region. Under pressure, they forced employees to give up part of their financial remuneration under threat of a reduction in payments or other sanctions.

In the Lviv region alone, over 75,000 hryvnias in illegal benefits were documented over a period of several months. Investigators are currently looking into the existence of similar corruption schemes in other regions of Ukraine.

Currently, the director of the Central Institution and the head of the Lviv branch have been served notifications of suspicion under Part 3 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (obtaining unlawful benefits by an official in a responsible position, repeatedly, by prior conspiracy of a group of persons, combined with extortion). The actions of the heads of district departments have been classified as aiding and abetting a crime (Part 5 of Article 27, Part 3 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

As part of the criminal proceeding, more than 30 searches were conducted at the places of residence and work of the persons involved. Funds that have already been identified as bribes that were sent by mail and were seized from the director of the state institution.

The State Bureau of Investigation urges anyone with information about other episodes of criminal activity in the probation system to report it to the 24-hour hotline: 0800 35 03 56.

The procedural guidance is provided by the Lviv Regional Prosecutor's Office.