Became the director of a fuel company used for converting funds for $300 a month

 A 31-year-old resident of the city of Vylkove in Odesa Oblast will stand trial for the re-registration of a company whose details were used to minimize the tax burden and convert cashless funds into cash.

Detectives of the Territorial Office of the ESBU in the Odesa region established that the enterprise was initially registered in Kyiv and specialized in the wholesale trade of solid, liquid, and gaseous fuels and similar products. Subsequently, it changed its location, owners, and managers several times.

At the end of 2023, the suspect agreed to become the founder and director of the enterprise for a monthly remuneration of 300 US dollars. At the same time, he did not plan to actually conduct business activities and manage the company.

The man provided his personal data for the preparation of registration documents and signed papers containing knowingly false information. On their basis, at the beginning of 2024, amendments were made to the Unified State Register, according to which the suspect became the founder and director of the enterprise.

At the same time, he did not actually manage the enterprise: he did not carry out financial and economic activities, did not conclude contracts with counterparties, did not manage bank accounts, did not keep accounting records, did not submit tax reporting, and did not prepare customs documents.

All documents regarding the actual activity of the enterprise were compiled and signed by other persons. Materials regarding their actions are being investigated in separate criminal proceedings.

During the investigation, ESBU detectives found out that the details of the enterprise were used to minimize the tax burden. Through the fuel company, the conversion of cashless funds into cash took place for enterprises of the real sector of the economy.

The suspect was notified of suspicion of committing a criminal offense provided for by Part 2 of Article 205-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — entering knowingly false information into documents submitted for the state registration of a legal entity and submitting such documents by prior conspiracy by a group of persons.

Currently, the pretrial investigation has been completed. The indictment has been referred to court.

The sanction of the article provides for a fine of eight thousand to ten thousand tax-free minimum incomes of citizens or imprisonment for a term of three to five years, with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for a term of up to three years or without it.

Procedural oversight was carried out by prosecutors of the Odesa Oblast Prosecutor's Office.

According to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime and cannot be subjected to criminal punishment until their guilt is proven in accordance with the law and established by a court verdict of conviction.