Luhansk AED officials to stand trial for ₴100M firewood fraud

Law enforcement officers have completed an investigation into the case of embezzlement of budget funds by officials of the Apatrment and Exploitation  Department of Luhansk. The officials are accused of embezzling over 100 million hryvnias for the purchase of wood.

This was reported on Facebook by the Specialized Prosecutor's Office for Defense of the Eastern Region. According to the investigation, the "scheme" began operating in 2022. The AED was supposed to conclude contracts for the purchase of firewood for the Defense Forces of Ukraine. The department's management, together with an employee, agreed with the entrepreneur and purchased firewood at inflated prices without holding open tenders. The contracts were concluded from 2022 to 2024, the special prosecutor's office clarified.

The supplies were carried out by more than 20 controlled enterprises, through which the overpaid funds were withdrawn and legalized. 47 facts of such purchases were documented, as a result of which the state suffered losses of more than 101 million hryvnias.

The five defendants in the case will be tried for misappropriation of property through abuse of office, Part 3 of Article 27, Part 4 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The organizer of the "scheme" and two other participants were additionally charged with legalization of property, Part 3 of Article 209 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

If the officials are found guilty, they face 12 years in prison with confiscation of their property. Their property was seized to compensate for the damages.

Recall that in Zaporizhia, TCP officials were detained for bribery.