Million-hryvnia bribes: State Labor Service officials detained for extorting money from entrepreneurs
Employees of the State Bureau of Investigation, with support from the National Police, have served notices of suspicion to three officials of the South-Western Interregional Directorate of the State Labor Service and the head of a private company who were extorting money from entrepreneurs.
The SBI reported this, according to Ukrinform.
The Directorate operates in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil, and Chernivtsi regions.
The head of the Directorate organized the scheme. He involved the head of the Inspection Activity Department, his deputy, and the head of a private entity responsible for providing training to entrepreneurs.
The officials demanded payment for training services in occupational safety that were supposed to be free of charge, and they issued certificates to employees without requiring them to complete the courses. Separately, they charged fees for the unobstructed registration of declarations and permits for performing high-risk work, which are issued free of charge within five days.
To achieve this, they utilized designated expert organizations. If an entrepreneur applied to the “wrong” organization, the officials deliberately delayed the review process for months. Cooperation with the “right” company, however, guaranteed obtaining the permit within a week.
The investigation also established that the individuals fabricated inspections that should not have been conducted at all during the martial law period. Entrepreneurs were told that they had supposedly been included in the plan, and then were asked to pay money to avoid these invented inspections. In this way, the officials created yet another channel for systematic extortion.
In addition, the officials regularly collected money for concealing workplace accidents, unregistered employees, and other violations. Entrepreneurs were offered a choice: an official fine that could reach millions of hryvnias, or resolving the issue for 10,000 to 100,000 UAH.
According to the investigation, throughout 2025, the officials received hundreds of thousands of hryvnias in unlawful benefits from entrepreneurs.
The SBI noted that the investigation is ongoing, and the total sum of bribes may reach several million hryvnias.
The head of the Directorate, his two subordinates, and the head of the private company have been notified of suspicion under Part 3 of Article 368 and Part 3 of Article 369 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (receiving an unlawful benefit by an official accompanied by extortion; offering or providing an unlawful benefit). The sanctions foresee up to 10 years of imprisonment, confiscation of property, and a ban on holding office.
Law enforcement officers conducted 40 searches across three regions — in the homes and vehicles of the individuals involved, at enterprises, and in the premises of the State Labor Service. Documents, funds, and other materials that may serve as physical evidence in the criminal proceedings were seized.
All individuals involved have been placed in pre-trial detention, with the option to post bail.
As reported by Ukrinform, law enforcement officers earlier served notices of suspicion to the deputy head and an inspector of one of the customs posts of the Kyiv Customs of the State Customs Service, who created obstacles to the customs clearance of imported vehicles and demanded money to resolve them.
Photo: Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine