Former deputy head of the Main Department of the State Tax Administration of Ternopil region and his accomplice will be tried for extortion based on SBI materials

The SBI continues to bring to justice those who use their positions for personal gain, even during the war, when the entire country is united for the sake of victory.

The Bureau has completed a pre-trial investigation against the former Deputy Head of the Main Department of the State Tax Service in Ternopil region and his accomplice. In exchange for money, the official purposefully created problems for entrepreneurs and promised to solve them.

The indictment was sent to court.

The official headed the regional commission for VAT refunds and classification of business entities as risky. He contributed to getting a local enterprise falsely be included in the list of risky taxpayers. And he demanded USD 5 thousand from its owner for excluding it from the list.

The official and his accomplice were detained red-handed while receiving the illegal demand.

The ex-taxpayer is accused of extortion and receiving an unlawful benefit, resisting a law enforcement officer while performing his official duties, as well as carrying, purchasing and storing ammunition without a permit provided by law (Part 3 of Article 368, Part 2 of Article 342, Part 1 of Article 263 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The penalty under these articles is imprisonment for up to 10 years with confiscation of property.

Also, an accomplice of the former official will be tried for aiding in extortion and obtaining an unlawful benefit (Part 5 of Article 27, Part 3 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

During the pre-trial investigation, the tax officer's property worth UAH 3.3 million was seized. In particular, 3 cars, a house and more than half a million hryvnias in cash were seized.

The Ternopil Region Prosecutor's Office is in charge of the investigation.