The property of the family and controlled companies of a Lviv businessman, one of the largest suppliers of the Ministry of Defense, who tried to bribe an investigator of the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), has been seized.

The SBI said on its Telegram channel on Thursday that as part of the investigation into the supply of goods for the needs of the Ministry of Defense, the place of residence and work of the businessman were searched, as well as the places of residence of directors and offices and companies controlled by him.

"Real estate, premium vehicles owned by the businessman's family, as well as on the property and accounts of companies controlled by him were seized," the SBI said.

An expert opinion was received, according to which all products supplied by the businessman's companies for the needs of the Ministry of Defense in 2023 do not meet the quality characteristics and are impossible for use by military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The surname of the businessman is not indicated in the Bureau's report, but the circumstances of the case point to Ihor Hrynkevych.

The State Bureau of Investigation recalled that at the end of 2023, criminal proceedings were opened regarding transactions involving the purchase of clothing and linen for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The Lviv businessman's companies won 23 tenders to supply clothing to the Ministry of Defense worth more than UAH 1.5 billion.

"Enterprises controlled by the businessman were involved in the implementation of defense procurement orders, which were previously engaged in construction and did not have adequate production, warehouse and other facilities for the production and storage of clothing for the needs of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. According to preliminary estimates, this led to budget losses of UAH 1.2 billion and, accordingly, disruption of supplies," the SBI said.

Law enforcement officers established the fact of failure to implement six contracts. Under at least seven contracts, enterprises delivered goods only in small quantities to the warehouses of military units, but received government funds for full fulfillment of obligations. It was also established that eight contracts were implemented with a delay of three to five months.

"An analysis of foreign economic contacts and customs documents of these enterprises revealed facts of overestimation of the cost of goods supplied to the Ministry of Defense. The involvement in the transactions of former officials of the Ministry of Defense, who did not take any legal actions to ensure the implementation or termination of contracts, is being verified," the SBI said.

The pretrial investigation continues. Procedural management is provided by the Office of the Prosecutor General.

As reported, on January 9, Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Vitaliy Polovenko announced the decision to terminate all contracts with companies associated with Hrynkevych.

Previously, the State Bureau of Investigation opened criminal proceedings into transactions involving the purchase of clothing and linen for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The SBI detained Hrynkevych while attempting to give a bribe of $500,000 to one of the heads of the Bureau for assistance in the return of property seized from companies controlled by him during a criminal investigation. In December 2023, the court ruled to detain Hrynkevych with an option of posting bail of UAH 429.44 million.