A group that embezzled 16 land plots worth 14 million hryvnias was exposed in Zakarpattia
In Zakarpattia, law enforcement officials uncovered an organized group whose members illegally seized 16 land plots with a total value of nearly 14 million hryvnias. Among the suspects are two village council members, a former businessman, and a local resident.
According to the investigation, between 2024 and 2026, the suspects illegally registered more than 4.6 hectares of state- and municipally-owned land in the Uzhhorod district.
To carry out the scheme, they used forged documents and enlisted straw men, whom they paid $1,000–2,000 each. To conceal the origin of the plots, the group members altered cadastral numbers, transferred the land to relatives and acquaintances, and later sold it at below-market prices.
The ringleader was detained while attempting to leave Ukraine. While already in custody, he instructed his brother to retrieve over $54,000—proceeds from the land deals—from a hiding place and exchange it to post bail of nearly 3 million hryvnias.
Law enforcement officers also detained the organizer’s brother. During the investigation, they seized millions of hryvnias and foreign currency.
Five suspects have been notified of the charges against them. A total of 43 searches were conducted as part of the investigation. The pretrial investigation is ongoing.
This was reported by the National Police of Ukraine.
In Kyiv’s Solomyanskyi District, an attempt was made to illegally appropriate land worth nearly 15 million hryvnias.
In the Khmelnytskyi region, a lawyer and two officials illegally appropriated municipal land.
In Kyiv, participants in a land scam worth over 22 million hryvnias will stand trial.
