Fraud for $10 million in procurement of uniforms for AFU: Former Defense Ministry advisor and People’s Deputy suspected. VIDEO&PHOTOS
A scheme to embezzle more than $10 million for the purchase of military uniforms for the Armed Forces of Ukraine has been exposed. A former advisor to the Ministry of Defence, a former People`s Deputy and his son are suspected of the fraud.
This was reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General, Censor.NET reports.
As noted, in 2022, a fraudulent scheme was organized by a former adviser to the former Deputy Minister of Defense, a Member of Parliament of Ukraine of the II-IV convocations, and his son. The fraud involved a foreigner who had previously been prosecuted in France, Spain and other countries.
For example, a foreigner, on behalf of his controlled company, agreed with a Turkish textile holding to produce more than 1 million sets of military uniforms for $25.6 million, using his connections with Ukrainian officials and politicians.
The Prosecutor General's Office reported that in 2022, this company entered into agreements with the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine at an inflated price of more than $35 million. The participants planned to divide the difference of USD 10 million among themselves.
It is reported that after receiving an advance of $10 million, the Turkish party fulfilled the order and delivered the uniform to Ukraine. However, the foreigner stopped communicating and did not pay the balance. The participants of the fraudulent scheme spent the money on their own needs.
According to the National Police of Ukraine, the participants in the criminal schemes used the proceeds to purchase luxury cars and real estate, including abroad.
Thirty-eight authorised searches were conducted at the residences and workplaces of Ukrainian citizens involved in the criminal scheme, which resulted in the seizure of documents, cars, mobile phones and computer equipment containing evidence of the crimes.
It is noted that sufficient evidence has been gathered to serve the former adviser to the former Deputy Minister of Defence, former People`s Deputy and his son with a notice of suspicion of fraud on a large scale committed by a group of persons (Article 28, Part 4 of Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
The issue of seizure of the defendants' property is currently being decided. They face up to 12 years in prison.
It is worth noting that the Prosecutor General's Office and the National Police do not name the defendants, but according to a UP source, they are businessman Roman Balykin, MP of three convocations Ihor Franchuk and his son Yaroslav Franchuk.
