Corruption scheme to embezzle Energoatom funds exposed – NABU
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) have exposed a corruption scheme in the energy sector involving the embezzlement of nearly UAH 170 million from State Enterprise National Nuclear Energy Generating Company (SE NNEGC) Energoatom, NABU has said.
"NABU and SAPO have exposed a large-scale corruption scheme to embezzle funds from SE NNEGC Energoatom during the construction of a critical infrastructure facility in the Mykolaiv region – the Tashlyk Pumped-Storage Power Plant," NABU said in a statement on its website on Tuesday.
According to the report, the suspects include: the organizer of the scheme – the actual owner of a number of companies; and the former head of a department of the Atomprojectengineering separate subdivision of SE NNEGC Energoatom.
According to the investigation, the work to complete the construction of the Tashlyk plant was performed by one of the companies belonging to the scheme’s organizer.
"Despite missed deadlines and bankruptcy proceedings initiated against the company, additional agreements were systematically concluded with it, changing the list and scope of work, as well as the deadlines for their execution. This became possible due to the influence of the actual owner of the company on Energoatom officials," NABU said. .
NABU points out that under one of these additional agreements, of which more than 70 were concluded in total, a set of equipment for the automated control system of the plantwas purchased for a total value of over UAH 305 million. The purchase was made through a controlled foreign firm, which allowed for the artificial inflation of the equipment price by nearly UAH 170 million.
The actions of the suspects have been qualified under Part 5 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
The organizer of the scheme was detained in accordance with Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine.
Investigative actions are ongoing, and the full circle of individuals involved in the transaction is being established.
