The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) is conducting a pretrial investigation in a criminal case involving Kernel Trade LLC employees who illegally seized funds of Stiomi-Holding LLC.

The funds were received from the State Export-Import Bank, the press service of SBU said.

As reported, on April 12 SBU raided the central office of the largest Ukrainian agrarian group – Kernel.

Kernel earlier said that in April 2012 the company settled an advance payment of $5.976 million for Stiomi-Holding, and the company was to pay the rest of the sum until December 2013. A conflict started and Kernel demanded the seller to cut the final payment sum that had been agreed at $31.7 million. The sides did not reach a compromise and launched a lawsuit.

Kernel is a vertically integrated company which has been operating in the Ukrainian agribusiness sector since 1994. The group produces sugar and sunflower oil, distributes bottled oil under the brand names Schedry Dar, Stozhar and Chumak Zolota, exports oil and grain and provides elevator storage services for grain and oilseeds.