Ukraine's State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) has revealed a corruption scheme at the SBU's Department of State Secret Protection and Licensing, whose operatives were involved in a money laundering scheme through charity funds.
"According to the preliminary version of the investigators, officers of the said department systematically extorted and received bribes from entrepreneurs in exchange for promises not to probe into violations discovered. Law enforcement officers demanded from UAH 20,000 (US$825) to UAH 300,000 (US$12,500) from each entrepreneur. The money received was laundered through a number of charity funds. The SBI has already conducted searches at the premises and places of residence of the defendants in criminal proceedings," First Deputy Director of the State Bureau of Investigation Olha Varchenko wrote on Facebook.
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According to the Criminal Code of Ukraine, this crime provides for punishment of imprisonment of up to 10 years.
