Corruption Uncovered in Odesa Region
Employees of the State Bureau of Investigations, with the assistance of the Security Service of Ukraine, uncovered two law enforcement officers in the Odesa region who systematically demanded bribes from small business owners. Under the threat of mobilizing their employees, entrepreneurs were forced to regularly pay a specified amount. This was reported by the DBR.
Since November 2024, the perpetrators have been demanding money monthly, threatening to inform military enlistment offices about employees who are not registered for military service, as well as threatening fines and serving summons.
The monthly amount of «extortion» averaged around 9 thousand hryvnias from each entrepreneur and was determined individually. Overall, per month, the law enforcement officers received about 220 thousand hryvnias from nearly 30 entrepreneurs, which they divided among themselves.
"On March 27, 2025, one of them was detained while receiving another bribe from several entrepreneurs totaling 42 thousand hryvnias. Both suspects have been informed of suspicion under part 3 of article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (receiving unlawful benefits by a public official)" - the statement reads.
The sanction of the article provides for up to 10 years of imprisonment. The court has chosen preventive measures in the form of detention with an alternative bail of 1 million hryvnias each. A petition is being prepared for their suspension from office. The procedural leadership is carried out by the Odesa regional prosecutor's office.
