Migration Service officials who made money on foreigners have been exposed in Odesa region. Property worth UAH 150 million was found in their possession. PHOTO

SBI officers jointly with the SSU exposed the Head of the Migration Control Department of the Main Department of the State Migration Service of Ukraine in Odesa region and an employee of the same department who promised a foreign citizen to resolve the issue and stay in Ukraine for money.

This was reported by Censor.NET with reference to the SBI press service.

Officials made money on foreigners

In exchange for $20,000, the officials promised to help a native of the Republic of Moldova who was currently in Ukraine. The man's passport as a citizen of Ukraine had been cancelled, so he was facing forced deportation.

The officials advised him to appeal against his deportation to the court. They promised to help him win the case and even undertook to prepare the necessary documents for the court, to influence the judge and other SMS (State Migration Service) employees who would represent the institution in court.

Two employees of the State Migration Service were served a notice of suspicion of accepting an offer of an unlawful benefit for influencing a decision by a person authorised to perform state functions, combined with extortion, committed by a group of persons (Part 2 of Article 28, Part 3 of Article 369-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The sanction of the article provides for punishment in the form of imprisonment for up to 8 years with confiscation of property.

The officials were imposed custody as a measure of restraint with an alternative to bail for the head of the department - UAH 70 million, and for the employee - UAH 7 million.

Detected property

The officials' places of work and residence were searched and money, including cryptocurrency, jewellery and property worth at least UAH 140 million, which is much higher than their legitimate earnings, was found. According to preliminary estimates, the jewellery of the head's wife alone is worth almost UAH 3 million.

Among other things, the chief was found to have an elite 200 sq m house registered in his mother's name and a car purchased last year in a showroom for UAH 7 million. The official's mother also owns many land plots, other houses and shops.