Ukraine’s anti-corruption infrastructure continues to shift its focus toward officials who cannot account for the origins of their property. The lawsuit filed by the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP) with the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) against former Kharkiv region police officer I. Mozhovyi vividly illustrates modern trends in financial oversight. Amid the full-scale war, society demands maximum transparency and strict accountability from those holding public office or wearing uniforms.
The institution of civil forfeiture—recognizing assets as groundless and seizing them for the state revenue—has become a vital breakthrough in Ukrainian legislation. Unlike traditional criminal forfeiture, which requires proving a person’s guilt in committing a specific crime and securing a guilty verdict, civil lawsuits are reviewed under civil procedure rules.
Key Focus: The investigation exclusively examines the discrepancy between an official’s legal income and the value of the property they acquired.
Burden of Proof: If the gap between official earnings and expenditures exceeds the statutory limit, the property owner bears the burden of proving the legal origin of every hryvnia.
Result for the State: If the court rules in favor of the state, the assets transfer to state ownership, replenishing the budget without protracted criminal proceedings.
NABU analysts and SAP prosecutors conducted a deep financial and economic analysis covering the period of 2023–2024. It was during this time that the former police officer demonstrated significant «investment activity,» acquiring a series of expensive assets. The total value of these acquisitions exceeded 2.92 million hryvnias, even though the respondent’s official income was significantly more modest.
The audit revealed a classic «negative balance» of over 518,000 hryvnias, while the total disparity between the actual property value and legal earnings reached 3.33 million hryvnias. The disputed assets include:
Real Estate: A three-room apartment with an area of 94.4 sq. m (estimated at 2 million UAH), alongside two residential houses.
Land: A land plot in the Kharkiv district and proceeds from its sale.
Transport: A modern Tesla Model 3 electric vehicle (2018 model year).
Upon receiving inquiries from anti-corruption authorities regarding the origin of the funds, the defendant attempted to employ a standard defense strategy. He claimed the property was purchased using loans from relatives and acquaintances, as well as bank credits.
However, a thorough review of the gathered evidence dismantled these arguments. The individuals claimed to have provided loans lacked documented, sustained income levels of their own, indicating the artificial nature of these financial operations. Currently, the HACC has already seized all disputed objects to prevent their re-registration or sale to third parties during court proceedings. This case will serve as yet another indicator of the anti-corruption bloc’s effectiveness in protecting the state’s economic interests.