NABU foils scheme to embezzle ₴776 million in grain from state corporation

The National Anti-Corruption Bureau has uncovered a large-scale corruption scheme involving the embezzlement of ₴776 million worth of grain from the State Food and Grain Corporation of Ukraine.

According to Ukrinform, the bureau’s press service reported this.

As noted, the organized criminal group included former top officials of the state corporation and representatives of a foreign company.

According to the investigation, in 2021, the management of the State Food and Grain Corporation of Ukraine signed four foreign trade contracts with a non-resident company for the supply of feed corn.

Contrary to the terms of the contracts, which required 100% payment for the goods before transfer of ownership, the original bills of lading for the cargo were issued to the purchasing company. This allowed the ships to be unloaded without hindrance and the grain, which had not been paid for, to be disposed of.

To conceal this fact and create a false impression of control over the property, the State Food and Grain Corporation of Ukraine retained copies of the bills of lading with forged signatures and seals.

As a result of these actions, the state corporation lost nearly 106,000 tons of grain, valued at 776 million hryvnias.

As reported by Ukrinform, law enforcement officials notified two officials of an agricultural enterprise in the Kyiv region, as well as a former member of parliament and a former minister of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, of their status as suspects. These individuals organized a scheme involving the fictitious sale of corn worth 63 million hryvnias.

Photo: NABU