Large-scale corruption scheme in "Kyivzelenbud" exposed: top officials who planned to receive UAH 25 million in kickbacks detained - National Police. PHOTOS
Law enforcement officers exposed a large-scale corruption scheme in the "Kyivzelenbud" municipal association, which is subordinated to the Kyiv City Council.
This was reported by Censor.NET with reference to the press service of the National Police.
According to the investigation, the company's CEO and his first deputy organised a scheme to extort bribes from contractors.
As noted, officials lobbied for the interests of certain commercial entities during public procurement, guaranteeing them victory in tenders. For this, representatives of contracting organisations paid "kickbacks" in the amount of 15% of the value of the contracts. Those who refused were simply not allowed to participate in tenders.
To implement the scheme, the executives engaged their subordinates to act as so-called managers. They met with entrepreneurs, discussed the terms, accepted and distributed funds. Communication took place using "ciphers" for secrecy, and meetings were organised in public places. Contractors paid a certain percentage of "kickbacks" for signing the certificates without checking the quality of the work performed and for not having any obstacles in further tenders.
In February 2025, 15 episodes of illegal activity were documented, including 5 facts of bribery in excess of UAH 3 million and 10 demands for payment of certain amounts. In total, the offenders planned to receive about UAH 25 million under the 2024 contracts.
During a large-scale special operation, law enforcement officers detained three officials in a procedural manner - the CEO of "Kyivzelenbud", his first deputy and the deputy head of the capital investment department. Representatives of the contractors were also served with notices of suspicion.
During the searches conducted in the offices, residences of the defendants and construction sites, were seized:
- UAH 3.2 million received as a "kickback",
- other cash in different currencies totalling almost UAH 1 million,
- documentation, draft records, flash drives, vehicles.
The heads of the utility company were served suspicion notices under the following articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:
- p. 2 and 3 of Art. 255 (creation, management and participation in a criminal organisation),
- p. 3 and 4 of Art. 368 (obtaining an unlawful benefit by an official).
The suspected representatives of the contracting organisations are charged with p. 1, Art. 369 (giving an unlawful benefit to an official).
All the detainees were chosen a measure of restraint in the form of custody with the right to be released on bail in the amount of UAH 51.4 million for each.
Measures to identify other members of the criminal organisation are under way. The suspects face up to 13 years of imprisonment with confiscation of property for the offences.
