PGO discovers documents of ex-Interior Ministry official documenting anti-Euromaidan operations
Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) has uncovered illegal business in several regions organized by former high-ranking officials during ex-Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych's tenure. Documents and notes about police actions against Euromaidan protests were discovered during search and seizure operations against an ex-Interior Ministry official.
"During the pretrial investigation conducted based on information received from the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine it was established that a number of enterprises registered in Vinnytsia, Kyiv and Odesa regions and in Kyiv, directly related to former high-ranking officials … exported products during 2016-2017 were not reported in tax filings, thus signifying illegal operations to legalize goods of unknown origin," the PGO's press service said on Tuesday.
It was established that the exported goods were purchased from farmer collectives and other agricultural producers for cash, without the requisite recordkeeping. In addition, these enterprises did not report received income and did not pay taxes on profit and value-added tax.
The press service said searches at the home of one of the ex high-ranking officials found more than $200,000 in cash, 3 kilograms of gold, jewelry, paintings, icons, documents and notes relating to former official duties, including operations by law-enforcement agencies against protests, as well as weapons and ammunition.
PGO spokeswoman Larysa Sarhan said on her Facebook page that the items were found at the home of a high-ranking police official who served during the Yanukovych presidency.
During searches of an accomplice of the criminal group at his offices bookkeeping records and notes confirming illegal activities, along with fake government stamps, seals of enterprises and notary offices were also found.
The question of whether to charge individuals involved in these criminal activities is under discussion.
The PGO's department of special investigations is conducting a pretrial criminal investigation pursuant to Part 1 of Article 255 of Ukraine's Criminal Code against Yanukovych, who is suspected of creating a criminal organization, heading it and overseeing its activities.
