NABU exposes massive corruption schemes in agricultural sector

In particular, it is noted that due to the investigations by the detectives of the Bureau and prosecutors of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office conducted in PJSC State Food and Grain Corporation of Ukraine, some UAH 70 million has been recovered.

"Corruption in the agricultural sector is mainly about fraud with land and embezzlement of funds and property of state-owned enterprises. Now, the NABU is investigating illegal transactions with respect to almost 8,000 hectares of state-owned agricultural land," the report said.

Read alsoSFGCU gets almost $11.5 mln in net profit in 1H after 4 years of lossThe scheme corrupt officials utilize is about the embezzlement of funds and property of enterprises with the participation of intermediaries to whom the products are sold at dumped prices, while they, in turn, resell them at market prices. As a result, revenues are received by intermediaries, which are sometimes under the control of heads of state enterprises.

Read alsoAnti-graft watchdog prevents theft of $34.2 mln - NABU head Sytnik"For example, damage was inflicted to PJSC State Food and Grain Corporation. According to the facts, the detectives of the National Bureau investigated at least five criminal cases. Two cases have already been forwarded to the court,” the NABU noted.

Read alsoNABU opens criminal cases against 37 top officials"An example of large-scale corruption can be illegal actions by the Presidium of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences. In 2008-2016, it initiated the adoption of a number of decisions, according to which 200 hectares of state-owned land went into private ownership. Thus, according to the investigation’s version, the Presidium formally "satisfied the constitutional rights of citizens," while in fact committing a crime, which caused the state about UAH 1 billion in damage," the NABU added.