A former member of the Odesa City Council was extradited to Ukraine in connection with a case involving the misappropriation of property
Oleksandr Matveev, a former member of the Odesa City Council representing the “Trust the Deeds” party, who is suspected of embezzling municipal property worth more than 11 million hryvnias, was extradited from Romania to Ukraine. According to investigators, between 2011 and 2019, he organized a scheme through which members of the group illegally acquired real estate in downtown Odesa. The court remanded Matveev in custody with the option of release on bail set at 600,000 hryvnias; however, the prosecutor’s office plans to appeal this decision and demand that the bail amount be increased to 11 million hryvnias.
According to the regional prosecutor’s office, Oleksandr Matveev organized a criminal group that operated from 2011 to 2019. According to the investigation, its members used forged documents to misappropriate municipal real estate in central Odesa. The total value of the property allegedly unlawfully appropriated in this case is estimated at more than 11 million hryvnias. Among the properties involved in the case are non-residential premises, attics, apartments, a basement, and a land plot. Investigators believe that the group members exploited their positions and access to information about municipal property to register the real estate in their own names or in the names of affiliated individuals.
According to the case file, Matveev was a member of the Odesa City Council’s commission on municipal property. Investigators claim that he devised a scheme for illicit enrichment through the registration of property rights to real estate. To carry out this scheme, according to law enforcement officials, he enlisted a lawyer and other accomplices from his circle of trusted associates.
From Renting to Selling Apartments
As the investigation established, the group’s members initially sought out municipal properties on the first and second floors of buildings. They then leased these spaces through nonprofit organizations and later purchased them on non-competitive terms. According to law enforcement, this mechanism allowed them to acquire real estate without facing full competition from other potential buyers.
Afterward, some of the premises were converted into residential units. To increase the living space, they utilized attics and basements, which were incorporated into the apartments. Subsequently, the real estate could be sold, generating profit from transactions involving property that, according to the investigation, had been registered illegally. Law enforcement officials are investigating the role of each potential participant in the scheme and the circumstances surrounding the registration of the real estate. At the same time, the final assessment of the evidence must be made by a court. The mere fact of being notified of suspicion does not mean that a person is guilty: this must be proven in accordance with the procedure established by law.
How Matveev Ended Up in Ukraine
According to the prosecutor’s office, after the alleged scheme was uncovered, Matveev went into hiding to evade the investigation. In 2024, he was placed on the wanted list. In early September, law enforcement officials detained the former lawmaker in Romania, after which the process of his extradition to Ukraine began. Matveev has now been extradited and is in Ukraine. Upon his return, the court imposed a pretrial measure on him—detention with the option of posting bail in the amount of 600,000 UAH.
The prosecutor’s office disagreed with this decision and plans to appeal it. The prosecution will insist that the bail amount be increased to 11 million hryvnias. Thus, the court may still reconsider the issue of the pretrial measure.
Other Incidents Related to Real Estate
Matveev was also mentioned in materials regarding other possible violations during the registration of real estate in Odesa. In particular, the Security Service of Ukraine took an interest in him in connection with a scheme involving the alleged misappropriation of a property in the city center.
In addition, it was previously reported that a penthouse was registered in the Graf residential complex, located in Odesa’s Otrada neighborhood. According to published information, questionable registration schemes may have been used during the legalization of this property. The circumstances of this incident should be considered separately from the case involving the misappropriation of municipal property, unless law enforcement agencies confirm a direct link between them.
Why Matveev Was Recalled from the City Council
In mid-August, the “Trust the Deeds” party decided to recall a number of Odesa City Council members, including Matveev. The plan was to replace them with other representatives of the political party. This decision marked yet another chapter in the former council member’s political history amid the real estate case. At the same time, removal from the council and criminal proceedings are distinct processes and have separate legal grounds.
Currently, the key issues in the case remain the circumstances surrounding the registration of municipal property, the role of Matveev and other possible participants, as well as the amount of bail. Further decisions will depend on the course of the investigation and court proceedings. This was reported by .
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