ESBU in Bukovyna sends the case of UAH 2.2 million embezzlement on street lighting to the court

 Detectives of the Territorial Office of the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine in the Chernivtsi region have completed a pre-trial investigation and submitted an indictment to the court against four members of an organized group. Among the suspects is the director of the «Misksvitlo» municipal enterprise.

The investigation established that the director of «Misksvitlo,» who is also a city council deputy, collaborated with the head of a private company to organize a scheme for purchasing streetlights through an intermediary. To execute the mechanism, they involved a shell entrepreneur who lacked any warehouse facilities or technical resources.

The streetlights were initially purchased from the manufacturer at market prices. Subsequently, they were resold to the municipal enterprise through a related company at a significant markup.

The director of the municipal enterprise signed contracts and specifications despite knowing that the documents were being completed by other group members on behalf of the entrepreneur.

Between 2023 and 2025, 66 contracts totaling over UAH 5 million were concluded under this scheme.

The city budget suffered damages amounting to UAH 2.2 million. The extent of the damages was confirmed by a forensic economic expert analysis.

The defendants' actions have been classified under Parts 2, 3, and 5 of Article 27; Part 3 of Article 28; Part 5 of Article 191; and Part 1 of Article 366 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (misappropriation of property through abuse of office and official forgery, committed by an organized group under martial law on a particularly large scale).

Prosecutorial oversight was conducted by the Chernivtsi Regional Prosecutor's Office.