Million-hryvnia scheme: ESBU in Bukovyna serves new notices of suspicion over equipment fraud during Marshyntsi bridge construction

 Officials from a government agency in Bukovyna caused over 2.5 million UAH in losses to the state due to equipment fraud during bridge construction.

Detectives of the Territorial Office of the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine in the Chernivtsi region have issued new notices of suspicion to officials of a state institution for abuse of power during the construction of a crossing over the Prut River.

During the pre-trial investigation, it was established that, in addition to the previously exposed deputy head of the agency, the head of the relevant department was also involved in the illegal scheme.

The case concerns abuses during the construction of a bridge crossing in the village of Marshyntsi, on the Novoselytsia-Hertsa-Dyakivtsi checkpoint highway. The construction of this facility had been frozen for a long time, but it was resumed in 2020 as part of the "Great Construction" state program. At that time, a contract worth over 171 million UAH was signed with the contractor.

During the works, special metal formwork was manufactured using budget funds. Since these structures are reusable, the contractor was supposed to return them to the state or compensate for their value. Instead, the equipment was registered as cheap scrap metal, and the real value of the property was never returned to the stat.

Despite the contractor's failure to meet the terms of the agreement, the deputy head of the state institution and the head of the department signed the acceptance certificates for the work performed and approved the financial documents. This allowed the private company to receive the full amount of budget funds without hindrance.

The actions of these officials caused over 2.5 million UAH in losses to the state.

Currently, both officials have been notified of suspicion of committing a criminal offense under Part 2 of Art. 28 and Part 2 of Art. 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine—specifically, abuse of power that caused grave consequences, committed by a group of persons upon prior conspiracy.

The pre-trial investigation is ongoing.

Procedural guidance is provided by the Chernivtsi Regional Prosecutor's Office.

It should be noted that according to Art. 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is considered 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's verdict of guilty.