The State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), in collaboration with the Spanish police, searched the real estate of the former military commissar of Odesa; his villa and office in Marbella (Malaga province) were seized.

"Employees of the State Bureau of Investigation, in collaboration with the local police, searched the Spanish real estate of the former head of the Odesa Regional Territorial Recruiting and Social Support Center," the Bureau reported on its Telegram channel on Thursday.

Criminal proceedings have been initiated against the ex-military commissar for illegal enrichment. The SBI detained the ex-official in July 2023, and the court took him into custody. The military commissar was fired.

"During the investigation, among other things, it was established that he acquired two properties in Marbella, Malaga province of the Kingdom of Spain," the SBI said.

In particular, in December 2022, he organized the purchase of a house worth more than EUR 4 million with a total area of 857 square meters on a land plot of 1,530 square meters in his mother's name. Also, as reported by the State Bureau of Investigation, in February 2023, the military commissar and his wife purchased office space worth more than EUR 500,000 with a total area of 223.9 square meters.

"On December 13, 2023, following a request for international legal assistance sent by the State Bureau of Investigation, the National Police of the Kingdom of Spain, with the participation of employees of the Main Investigation Department of the State Bureau of Investigation, searched the villa and office space purchased by relatives of the military commissar," the SBI said.

During the searches, documents certifying the right of ownership and disposal of the above-mentioned property by members of his family were confiscated.

Based on the collected evidence and the SBI request, the competent authority of the Kingdom of Spain seized the villa and office premises.

The SBI expresses gratitude to the employees of the National Police and the Prosecutor General's Office of Spain for the prompt implementation of tasks within the framework of international cooperation and collaboration to fight graft and other crimes.

As reported, during the pretrial investigation, the Bureau collected a huge amount of its own evidence base, while at the same time, media reports were also studied to conduct a full and impartial investigation. "The materials of the NACP will also be examined, which also revealed signs of illegal enrichment of the former Odesa military commissar for more than UAH 188 million," the State Bureau of Investigation reported.

Based on the investigation materials, the court seized the property, money and bank accounts of the ex-head of the Odesa Regional Territorial Recruiting and Social Support Center and his family members. Among the previously seized property are land plots with a total area of more than 2 hectares in Odesa region, two houses in Odesa with a total area of more than 420 square meters, a house in Odesa with an area of 78.5 hectares, two apartments and one third of an apartment in Odesa, Toyota Land Cruiser made in 2023, Mercedes-Benz G 63 AMG made in 2022, Mercedes-Benz EQV made in 2022, Mercedes-Benz GLE 400 made in 2021, Porsche Macan GTS made in 2016, Audi A6 made in 1999, etc.