Position: former rector of Tavria National University.
Sphere of corrupt activity: educational.
Region of corruption activity: the city of Kyiv.
Qualification: Kazarin's actions were qualified under Part 5 of Art. 191 of the Criminal Code — appropriation, waste of property or possession of it by abuse of official position
Status: at large.
The story of the case: on April 23, 2024, Volodymyr Kazarin, the former rector of the Tavri National University, was informed of suspicion of embezzlement of over 800 thousand hryvnias of state funds.
"For the purpose of illegal enrichment, the official created three educational institutes on the basis of the university, in which no scientific research and educational activities were carried out. At the same time, salaries were paid to three directors of the specified educational institutions, as well as to four employees of the educational institution, who were actually not employed with "appeared", the National Police reported.
The police added that the former acting rector of the national university, using his official position, spent 842 thousand hryvnias of public funds in the period from 2017 to 2021.
The rector created three educational and scientific institutes on the basis of the university, to which he appointed directors. The latter were paid a salary, despite the fact that educational activities and scientific research were not carried out in the newly created institutes. The four employees appointed by the official - the secretary of the legal department, the literary editor, the leading specialist and the system administrator of the computer center - were systematically paid wages, in the absence of the latter at work.
The ex-rector was informed of the suspicion under Part 5 of Art. 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - Appropriation, embezzlement of property or possession of it by abuse of official position. He faces up to twelve years in prison for the crime he committed.
Instead, Volodymyr Kazarin, who is suspected of embezzling over 800,000 hryvnias, called this case "sucked out of his finger" and denies his guilt.
To date, Volodymyr Kazarin has still not been given a preventive measure.
Persons potentially involved in the corruption scheme: the mysterious employees of the university - the directors of three educational institutes and four employees appointed by the official - the secretary of the legal department, the literary editor, the leading specialist and the system administrator of the computer center may also be involved in the corruption scheme.
Assets: in the 2020 declaration, Kazarin listed several real estate properties, most of them located in the temporarily occupied Crimea. In particular, we are talking about a garden house, a garage, apartments and a plot of land. The ex-rector also declared another apartment in Kyiv (her spouse bought it in 2017 for UAH 2,912,000, which Kazarin indicated in previous declarations).
Kazarin also declared two cars - Volga and GAZ-69A.
In 2020, he earned UAH 426,363, and his wife received a pension of UAH 46,900. The couple kept UAH 140,000 in cash.
For almost 9 months of 2021 (before his dismissal), Kazarin received UAH 317,659 in salary, and his wife received UAH 31,267 in pension. The cash savings of the spouses have not changed.
Persons who should have responded to corruption schemes: in the case of the corruption scheme involving Kazarin, law enforcement agencies responded in a timely manner to the criminal activities of the ex-official. In particular, his case is handled by the National Police and the SBU.
Scandals: in 2020, Kazarin was entered into the Register of Corrupt Persons due to non-compliance with the legal requirements of the NAKC.
It was noted that Kazarin systematically refused to provide the documents that the NAKC requested as part of the verification of information about a possible violation by university officials of the requirements of the legislation on the protection of whistleblowers. According to NAZK, these refusals are a violation of anti-corruption legislation.
For non-fulfilment of the legal requirements of the NAKC, a report on an administrative offense was drawn up and sent to the Pecherskyi District Court of the city of Kyiv against Volodymyr Kazarin. The court found him guilty of the violation, and in connection with this, information about him was entered into the Register of Corrupt Persons.
Also, in the conclusion of the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption, based on the results of a full verification of the declaration, it is stated that he received a pension from the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation - 757,142 rubles (322,000 UAH).
In turn, Kazarin denies his guilt in this case. He was also accused of reviving the Prokofiev Academy of Music from Donetsk as part of TNU, a third of which moved from the occupied city. According to Kazarin, at that time he was following the orders of the Cabinet of Ministers, which passed a resolution on the transfer of the conservatory to TNU and instructed the then rector of the university to finance its reconstruction.
Sources:
The ex-rector of Tavria University is suspected of embezzling state funds - more than 840,000
The ex-rector of Tavriyya University is suspected of embezzling more than UAH 800,000
Ex-rector of TNU Kazarin was accused of embezzling over UAH 800,000: he denies everything
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