NABU, SAPO serve notice of suspicion to ex-MP Ischenko charged with causing UAH 20 mln loss to Ukrzaliznytsia's branch
Detectives of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and prosecutors of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) have served a notice of suspicion of causing the loss in the amount of over UAH 20 million to state-owned enterprise (SOE) Ukrzaliznychpostach to ex-MP Valeriy Ischenko.
"On October 2, 2019, NABU and SAPO notified three persons of the suspicion of causing loss in the amount of UAH 20 million to SOE Ukrzaliznychpostach (since December 2015 – a branch of JSC Ukrzaliznytsia) and an attempt to seize another UAH 44 million in the same SOE," the NABU press service said on its Facebook page.
It is reported that these are the ex-MP, his financial advisor, an ex-freelance advisor to the head of the Presidential Administration of Ukraine in 2015-2016.
According to a source of Interfax-Ukraine, the suspicion was handed over to former MP Ischenko (member of the parliamentary faction of the Bloc of Petro Poroshenko Party).
The whereabouts of the latter two persons have not been established; they were notified of the suspicion in accordance with Article 278 and Article 135 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of Ukraine.
The actions of all suspects are qualified under Part 5 of Article 27, Part 5 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Thus, the total number of participants in the crime increased to 10 people.
So, according to the investigators, in 2015 a private entrepreneur asked the MP at that time for assistance in organizing a supply chain for hardware products at Ukrzaliznytsia at double prices. The MP agreed to assist with his financial resources and business ties. In addition, the advisor to the MP joined the scheme, fulfilling his instructions regarding finances and advising other participants in the scheme.
The MP also addressed the ex-freelance advisor to the head of the Presidential Administration of Ukraine to influence the Ukrzaliznychpostach officials to ensure victories at the auction and conclude a contract for the supply of hardware products at the price desired for the participants in the crime. As a result, according to investigators, Ukrzaliznytsia faced property damage in the amount of more than UAH 20 million.