An organized criminal group of 17 individuals received state grants for the development of agricultural business, but failed to create actual farms and instead used the funds for personal needs. This was reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General.
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Participants in the scheme have been informed of suspicion of embezzling budget funds amounting to UAH 34 million received within the business support program.
The program envisages funding for the establishment of new greenhouse complexes, orchards, vineyards, as well as the development of farms with the subsequent creation of jobs and production of goods.
According to the investigation, after receiving the grants, the suspects did not engage in economic activities on the land plots, did not construct the facilities outlined in the business plans, and did not plant crops. They did not return the received funds to the state but used them at their own discretion.
They legalized part of the funds through conducting non-existent financial transactions through controlled enterprises. Such transactions created an artificial movement of funds and gave the appearance of economic activity, making it difficult to trace the use of grant funding.
Members of the organized group are charged with misappropriation of property by deception on an especially large scale (Part 4 of Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) and legalization of property obtained by criminal means by a group of persons by prior conspiracy (Part 3 of Article 209 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).