Land Scandal Near Bukovel: Police Uncover a Large-Scale Scheme
20 June 01:20
Law enforcement officials have uncovered an organized group whose members are suspected of illegally seizing nearly 20 hectares of forest land near the “Bukovel” tourist complex. This was reported by the National Police, according to "Komersant Ukrainian"
The plots are located in the village of Polianytsia in the Nadvirna District of Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast. The total value of the illegally registered land is estimated at over 50 million hryvnias.
According to the National Police, construction has already begun on some of the plots. Hotel facilities were being built on certain areas.
How the land scheme near Bukovel worked
According to investigators, members of the group sought out attractive forest land plots near the Bukovel resort.
To register the land in the names of their associates, they allegedly used:
- forged state title deeds;
- falsified technical documentation;
- inaccurate information in state registries;
- documents purporting to be decisions by local government bodies that did not actually exist.
As a result, according to police, approximately 20 hectares of forest land were removed from state ownership.
Who Was Part of the Alleged Organized Group
According to law enforcement officials, the group included:
- the former head of one of the State Geocadastre’s divisions in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast;
- former law enforcement officers;
- managers and owners of commercial entities;
- other individuals with an interest in carrying out construction projects near Bukovel.
Investigators believe that roles were clearly divided among the participants.
Some suspects scouted for land, while others arranged for the production of forged documents, the entry of data into the State Land Cadastre, and the registration of property rights in the names of controlled individuals.
Registrars and notaries may have been involved in the scheme
Law enforcement officials are also investigating the possible involvement of certain state registrars, private notaries, and other individuals.
It was through these registration procedures that plots of land could be transferred from state ownership to nominal owners.
According to the investigation, some of the documents used to register the land were never issued by authorized state agencies.
The village council decisions cited in the state documents did not pertain to the transfer of these plots to private ownership.
The documents existed only as forged images
The police determined that some of the documents used to register the land existed only as forged graphic images.
Based on these, information was entered into the cadastre, after which ownership was registered in the names of controlled individuals.
The land could then be resold, consolidated, divided into smaller plots, or used for construction.
Hotels have already been built on some of the land
According to the National Police, some of the illegally registered plots had already begun to be used for construction.
Hotel facilities were being built in certain areas.
The land is located within walking distance of the “Bukovel” tourist complex, making it highly commercially attractive for the construction of hotels, apartments, and other tourist infrastructure.
Law enforcement officials have documented over 100 incidents
As part of the criminal investigation, law enforcement officials have documented over 100 instances of suspected illegal activity.
During the investigation, they:
- conducted more than 150 searches;
- carried out more than 100 covert investigative and search operations;
- interviewed more than 250 people;
- seized more than 300 land parcels.
The investigation into other possible cases of illegal land appropriation is ongoing.
Some of the land has already been returned to the state
According to the National Police, approximately 3.5 hectares of land have already been returned to state ownership.
The remaining plots have been seized to prevent their sale, development, or re-registration.
The future of the land will depend on the results of the investigation and court rulings.
Seven nominal owners have already been sentenced
Earlier in this criminal proceeding, charges were filed against seven nominal owners of the land plots.
Their actions were classified as fraud on an especially large scale, forgery, and the use of forged documents, committed by a group of individuals acting in concert.
According to police, these individuals have already been sentenced.
Six members of the group were notified of the charges
Following another round of searches in the Ivano-Frankivsk region, law enforcement officials notified six members of the alleged organized group that they were under suspicion.
They are charged with:
- the theft of another person’s property on an especially large scale through deception;
- committing a crime as part of an organized group;
- forgery and use of forged documents;
- laundering of property obtained by criminal means.
These charges fall under Articles 190, 209, and 358 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
What punishment do the suspects face?
The penalties under the charged articles provide for up to 12 years of imprisonment with confiscation of property.
At the same time, being notified of suspicion does not constitute proof of guilt. The final decision regarding each suspect must be made by a court.
The pretrial investigation is being conducted by investigators from the Main Investigative Directorate of the National Police in cooperation with operatives from the Department of Strategic Investigations.
The Office of the Prosecutor General is overseeing the proceedings.
