NABU and SAP have uncovered a corruption scheme involving extortion and money laundering orchestrated by former top officials of the Kirovohrad Oblast prosecution authorities. The ex-officials demanded a bribe from state enterprise executives in exchange for closing a criminal investigation, valuing their «services» at tens of thousands of dollars.
According to investigators, the former First Deputy Head of the Kirovohrad Regional Prosecutor’s Office demanded an unlawful benefit from the management of a National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine enterprise and a state company director. A premium Tesla Model X P100D electric vehicle was agreed upon as part of the bribe.
To launder and conceal the illicitly acquired asset, the official enlisted a colleague—the head of a district prosecutor’s office. The accomplice located a front person to hold power of attorney, granting them the rights to manage and sell the vehicle. However, the scheme was thwarted by the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC), which had already seized the Tesla as part of a separate criminal case.
Following the failure with the vehicle, the prosecutor continued to execute the scheme. Through an intermediary, he managed to secure a cash payment of $13,500 USD.
«Subsequently, the suspect was denied the remaining balance due to his failure to fulfill the agreed-upon obligations,» law enforcement agencies reported.
The total amount of the documented illicit benefit the former prosecutors expected to receive exceeded $88,000 USD. The investigation is ongoing to establish all the circumstances of the crime.