Ex-Minister of Health Stepanov reported on suspicion of embezzlement of budget funds

This was reported by the press service of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU).

According to the investigators, the state-owned company Polygraphic Combine Ukrayina took possession of more than 450m hryvnias. In this connection, law enforcers have reported suspicion of 5 persons, including the former director and head of department of the state enterprise Polygraph Combine.

Also, documents for notification of suspicion were sent to Estonia to two citizens of this country (director and manager of the controlled company). Qualification: part 5 of article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The ex-director is additionally incriminated legalisation of funds obtained by criminal means (part 3 of article 209 of the Criminal code of Ukraine), - reported in NABU.

Scheme of the crime

The head of the state enterprise in 2013 through front persons acquired an Estonian company, through which he organised the supply of foreign products. Through the same company organised purchases. materials for the manufacture of blank documents (passports of citizens of Ukraine, ID-cards, driver's licence, etc.). Afterwards, the attackers sold the materials at an inflated price several times over.

The criminals managed to embezzle funds worth about half a billion hryvnias during 2013-2016.

In order to launder money, the ex-director of Polygraphkombinat sold 45% of shares in a company that did not actually exist to another controlled company. The shares were sold for 1.35 million US dollars when the actual market price was about 100 thousand US dollars.

Also, the ex-director patented the intellectual property right for implanted security elements used in Ukrainian passports to a controlled company (used for purchases)," the NABU added.

It is noted that the Ukrainian law enforcers were assisted by investigators from Estonia and France under the auspices of Eurojust.