Detectives of the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine have seized corporate rights of four subsoil use companies owned by sanctioned persons and a citizen of the russian federation. The total value of the seized assets is over UAH 13 million.

Analyzing the movement of funds through bank accounts of companies whose ultimate owner is a citizen of the aggressor country the employees of the ESBU found that during 2020-2021 more than UAH 224 million was withdrawn in favor of the beneficiary.

These companies had special permits for subsoil use and extracted sand and granite in Zhytomyr and Kyiv regions. They also sold construction materials throughout Ukraine.

The extracted minerals of national importance were sold at a reduced price to controlled companies which then resold them to real sector enterprises at market prices. This scheme allowed for tax evasion.

As a result of such actions the amount of rent for the use of subsoil was understated by more than UAH 23 million. The detectives of the ESBU also found that the subsoil users exported extracted minerals to russia for a total value of UAH 62 million.

The above information is confirmed by the conclusions of the analytical study of the company's financial and economic activities, regarding the presence of signs of offenses related to legalization (laundering) of proceeds from crime, etc.

In addition during the pre-trial investigation it was also established that the officials of the mentioned legal entities committed a number of violations of tax legislation, namely, understated the rent for the use of subsoil for the extraction of mineral resources in the period from 2018 to 2022 by more than UAH 8.7 million and income tax in the amount of UAH 7 million.

The pre-trial investigation in the criminal proceedings on violation of the rules of subsoil use illegal extraction of mineral resources (Part 3 of Art. 240 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine), tax evasion (Part 3 of Art. 212 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) and legalization of the proceeds of crime (Part 3 of Art. 209 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) is being conducted by detectives of the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine with operational support from the Strategic investigations department of the National Police under the supervision of prosecutors of the Specialized environmental Prosecutor's Office.