Misappropriation of 100,000 tons of "Ukrnafta" petroleum products worth 2.8 billion hryvnias: NABU uncovers scheme
A scheme to embezzle petroleum products from PJSC "Ukrnafta" and launder the proceeds from their sale has been uncovered.
This was reported by the NABU press service, according to Censor.NET.
What is known?
According to the investigation, the business group’s leaders devised and carried out a scheme to embezzle 100,000 tons of petroleum products worth over 2.88 billion hryvnia.
"Initially, the petroleum products were transferred to a controlled company through commission agreements. Subsequently, a portion was transferred to other affiliated firms for retail and wholesale sales through a network of gas stations.
The proceeds from these sales were transferred to controlled companies, including those abroad," the statement reads.
To conceal the ultimate owners (members of the business group), a complex network of offshore companies was used in the jurisdictions of Cyprus, Belize, St. Kitts and Nevis, and the British Virgin Islands.
"The volume of petroleum products acquired by the participants in the scheme accounted for nearly 20% of the total volume of fuel sold at Ukrnafta gas stations during the scheme’s operation.
In addition, the circumstances surrounding the misappropriation of Ukrnafta’s assets in subsequent periods—particularly after martial law was imposed in Ukraine—are being investigated," the Bureau noted.
Data leak
The investigation was conducted with operational support from the SSU.
"At the same time, at a certain stage of the investigation, NABU detectives uncovered evidence of a leak of information constituting a secret of the pretrial investigation. Specifically, information about planned investigative and procedural actions was passed on to a trusted associate of the crime’s organizers.
According to the investigation, a high-ranking SSU official—whose unit was providing operational support for the criminal proceedings—may have been involved in the disclosure of the information," the NABU emphasized.
The pre-trial investigation into these facts is currently ongoing.
Suspicions
In connection with the first incident of criminal activity, four participants in the scheme were notified that they were under suspicion:
- the organizer (at the highest level)—one of the leaders of a well-known business group that effectively controlled Ukraine’s oil sector;
- an organizer (lower level)—a shareholder in a number of companies controlled by the business group, responsible for coordinating the actions of the perpetrators and concealing criminal activity;
- the chairman of the board and the vice chairman of the board for commercial affairs of joint-stock companies controlled by the business group.
A written notice of suspicion has been issued against another individual—a foreign national who is the former vice president of PJSC "Ukrnafta" (in which the state holds a controlling stake). The documents have been sent abroad for service as part of international cooperation.
