In Odesa, the Security Service and investigators of the National Police have exposed a scheme of embezzling budget funds intended for the burial of fallen defenders of Ukraine.

The participants in the scheme embezzled almost 50% of the money allocated to provide free burials of Ukrainian servicemen.

The investigation established that officials of Odesa City Council and local entrepreneurs were involved in the fraud. The participants in the scheme concluded contracts at inflated prices and divided the ‘difference’ among themselves.

According to the findings of independent experts, the perpetrators embezzled more than UAH 2.1 million out of UAH 4.8 million allocated by Odesa City Council for the installation of 88 gravestones.

The law enforcement notified the organizers and participants of the fraud of suspicion under parts 4 and 5 of Article 191 of the CCU (misappropriation, embezzlement or acquisition of property through abuse of office, under martial law or a state of emergency, on a particularly large scale or by an organized group).

The decisions on measures of restraint are pending.

The operation was carried out by the SSU under the procedural supervision of the Prosecutor General’s Office.