An entrepreneur arrested in Dnipro involved in the sham export of oil products via Odesa region in the so-called 'Kurchenko case' scheme has signed a written admission of guilt, the office of the Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) in Odesa region has said.

"A guilty verdict has already been rendered to one participant in the case involving the oil trading. An entrepreneur arrested in Dnipro during February 2017 by Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) office in Odesa region has been found guilty of organizing the fake export of fuel products across Odesa region and forging documents. Inasmuch as the suspect admitted guilt and cooperated with the investigation, the PGO agreed to a plea bargain," the PGO press service said.

During the investigation prosecutors identified an official, a maritime captain, who routed ships to Reniysky seaport with the aim of covering up the export of oil supplies.

The court also authorized the arrest of six additional captains, who are suspected of forging documents involving the export of fuel outside the customs territory of Ukraine.

The assets of three companies, four river tankers and a barge have been arrested as part of so-called 'Kurchenko case.'

Ukrainian businessman Serhiy Kurchenko is the alleged head of a criminal organization, which is accused of committing grave and especially grave crimes in the sphere of economic operations with liquefied gas from 2010 to 2014.

During the period, Kurchenko allegedly conspired to misappropriate natural gas extracted by PJSC Ukrgazvydobuvannia and PJSC Ukrnafta totalling UAH 2.2 billion.

Ukrainian prosecutors put Kurchenko on the international wanted list in March 2014.