Migration Service official in Odesa region “forgot” to declare UAH 83 million
29 May 13:13
SBI officers served a notice of suspicion to the head of one of the departments of the Main Directorate of the State Migration Service of Ukraine in Odesa region. The official, receiving a salary of UAH 28,000 per month, was able to “acquire” property worth almost a hundred million hryvnias, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports, citing the SBI.
According to the SBI, the official received a salary of UAH 28 thousand per month. At the same time, he entered inaccurate information in his declaration worth more than UAH 83 million. These include undeclared real estate, an elite vehicle, and assets registered in the names of close relatives but actually controlled by the official himself.
In particular, the official did not declare a residential building in the center of Odesa with a total area of 200.5 square meters with a land plot with an estimated value of over UAH 7 million, registered to the mother of the declarant’s minor children, and a Mercedes-Benz G 400 D 2023 worth UAH 5.6 million, registered to the official’s mother.
In addition, he failed to declare other assets registered in his mother’s name, but in respect of which he has the decisive right of disposal, including a 195.8 sq. m. office building, a 94.9 sq. m. recreation center, and shop premises and land plots in Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi and Zatoka.
The investigation is also checking the legality of declaring 37 units of Bitcoin cryptocurrency worth more than UAH 57.7 million, which allegedly belong to the official’s wife, as well as cash in the amount of EUR 100 thousand and USD 200 thousand.
The total value of the undeclared property is over UAH 83 million, which is more than 500 times higher than the established threshold of criminal liability.
The official’s actions are classified under Part 1 of Art. 366-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (declaration of false information).
The sanction of the article provides for a fine of up to 3 thousand tax-free minimum incomes or restraint of liberty for up to two years, with disqualification to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for up to three years.
The SBI submitted relevant materials to the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office to recognize the assets acquired by the said official as unjustified. Based on the SBI materials, the court confiscated the luxury car used by the official.
In a separate proceeding, the origin of the assets, which were found to be unreasonable during the full verification of the declaration, is also being checked.
