SBI: Odessa resident organized a scheme to steal millions in food for the military – photo

The State Bureau of Investigation announced the exposure of a scheme to embezzle budget funds for the purchase of food products for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The losses to the state amounted to 6 million UAH. The SBI and the Prosecutor General's Office reported on the scheme. A source for LIGA.net in law enforcement agencies reported that this is Askis Group LLC.

According to law enforcement, the scheme was organized by a resident of Odessa in January 2024 with the participation of two companies that were registered under managers controlled by him.

By winning tenders, the enterprises received the right to supply food products to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The organizer then established contacts with military officials, who submitted inflated or completely unnecessary applications for products to the authorized bodies of the Ministry of Defense, the SBI said.

In many cases, military units were supplied with goods of inadequate quality, including counterfeit and expired products. Some of the funds were used by the members of the organization for further criminal activities, and the rest was distributed among themselves.

As reported by the Prosecutor General's Office, as a result of such actions, the budget suffered losses of UAH 6 million.

The head of the Askis Group company and eight other people allegedly involved in the scheme have been detained. These are two directors and two employees of companies that supplied food products, and four heads of the food service of military units and an educational institution.

The State Bureau of Investigation is conducting a pre-trial investigation into the facts of creating a criminal organization, participating in it, and appropriating property through abuse of office (Articles 255 and 191). The maximum penalty is 15 years in prison with confiscation of property. The issue of reporting suspicions and imposing preventive measures on them is being resolved.

The LIGA.net interlocutor clarified that a total of 10 people were detained in the case.

• On June 16, the SBU and the State Bureau of Investigation announced the exposure of a large-scale corruption scheme in the procurement of trucks for the army. According to law enforcement officials, its organizers artificially created so-called "stakes" to ensure that the right company won government tenders.
• The losses in this case exceed UAH 64 million.