The SBI caught two employees of the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine, who provided «services» in exchange for bribes

Combating corruption within law enforcement agencies, in particular, exposing employees who abuse their official positions for personal gain is one of the top priorities of the State Bureau of Investigation.

The employees of the SBI, in cooperation with the Security Service of Ukraine, exposed two employees of the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine (the ESBU) who had used their official positions and connections to accept bribes.

These are two separate criminal cases.

In the first case, law enforcement officials exposed a senior detective of the Territorial Office of the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine in the Kyiv region. He demanded USD 15,000 from a man who was a suspect in a criminal case involving the production, importation, and distribution of counterfeit currency.

The detective convinced the man that he allegedly had enough evidence to bring criminal charges against him again. He also emphasized that, due to the man’s prior conviction, that this could result in detention and an actual prison sentence. In exchange for USD 15,000 the official promised not to bring the man to criminal liability.

To arrange the meetings, the detective sent summonses ostensibly for investigative purposes. Law enforcement officials documented that he had received USD 10,000.

In another criminal case, the SBI employees exposed an analyst of the ESBU. According to the investigation, he was approached by a representative of a company that had been refused in issuing a license to store fuel for its own consumption or for industrial processing.

An employee of the ESBU, who had previously worked for the tax authorities, offered to help with the resubmission of the documents. In exchange for a bribe, he promised to influence officials at the tax authority to ensure they made a favorable decision.

After resubmitting the documents, the company received its license. Subsequently, an employee of the ESBU told a company representative that she had to pay him USD 2,000 for this «influence».

Today, a senior detective and an analyst with the ESBU were detained on suspicion of committing corruption offenses:

• the senior detective is charged with receiving an unlawful benefit in a substantial amount by a public official in a position of responsibility (Part 3 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine);
• the analyst of the ESBU is charged with receiving an unlawful benefit for himself by influencing the decision-making of a person authorized to perform state functions (Part 3 of Article 369-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

Notices of suspicion and motions to the court requesting the imposition of preventive measures are being prepared.

The procedural guidance is provided by the Office of the Prosecutor General.