Almost 50% of budget funds allocated for burial of Ukrainian soldiers were embezzled: SSU exposed officials of Odesa City Council. PHOTO

The SSU and National Police investigators exposed a scheme to embezzle budget funds intended for the burial of fallen Ukrainian defenders in Odesa.

This was reported by the press service of the SSU, Censor.NET reports.

According to the case, the participants in the fraud misappropriated almost 50% of the money allocated to provide free burials for relatives of Ukrainian soldiers.

How the attackers acted

The investigation revealed that officials of Odesa City Council and local entrepreneurs were involved in the scheme. The criminal mechanism consisted of the participants in the fraud entering into contracts at inflated prices and distributing the "difference" among themselves.

How much money was embezzled by the criminals

According to the conclusions of independent examinations, the criminals embezzled more than UAH 2.1 million out of UAH 4.8 million allocated by the Odesa City Council for the installation of 88 monuments.

The law enforcement officers served the organisers and participants of the scheme a notice of suspicion under Art. 4, 5 Art. 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (misappropriation, embezzlement or seizure of property by abuse of office in a state of war or emergency on a particularly large scale or by an organised group).