SAP Sends Odesa City Hall Corruption Case to Court

The SAPO prosecutor has sent an indictment to the court against members of a criminal organization operating in the Odessa City Hall. The defendants include the city mayor, top officials, and a scandalous businessman. According to the investigation, they facilitated the illegal appropriation of community land.

This was reported by the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office.

The prosecutor's office believes that during 2016-2019, the criminal group developed a scheme to transfer land plots for development. The land was leased without a competition exclusively to pre-agreed companies. They paid money or donated apartments or non-residential premises to officials. In turn, officials, through their controlled deputies of the city council, ensured the adoption of a decision to provide plots to developers. As a result, according to investigators, the city lost 689 million UAH.

The case involves 16 people, led by Odessa businessman Volodymyr Galanternyk. He is hiding from the investigation abroad. Other defendants include Odessa Mayor Gennady Trukhanov, his former deputies Oleg Bryndak and Petro Ryabokon, former city council member Vasyl Shkryabay, director of the legal department Inna Popovska, founder of the Budova company Dmytro Dimarsky, and others.    

The officials and businessmen are accused of creating a criminal organization, abuse of power, embezzlement of property, and bribery. The maximum penalty for these crimes is twelve years in prison.

Let us remind you that Gennady Trukhanov , Oleg Bryndak , and Inna Popovskaya are suspects in the EBK base.