In Ukraine, the supply of substandard coal to government institutions worth more than 9 million hryvnia was uncovered
Law enforcement officials have notified eight members of an organized group that they are under suspicion of embezzling more than 9.1 million hryvnias in public funds during the procurement of coal for state and municipal institutions.
According to the investigation, throughout 2024, the group members supplied budgetary institutions with coal that did not meet the terms of the contracts or state standards. At the same time, they received payment from the budget as if they had supplied high-quality fuel.
According to investigators, the scheme was organized by a 48-year-old Kyiv resident, who recruited seven other individuals and assigned roles to them. The group included the heads of three companies, an accountant, and other participants who ensured participation in procurement, the preparation of documents, the delivery of coal, and the distribution of the funds received.
The investigation established that three controlled companies were used to participate in the tenders; these companies formally acted as separate suppliers, but their actions were coordinated in advance. In some procurement cases, companies with lower price bids either refused to sign contracts or failed to submit the required documents, ensuring victory for a specific participant.
After winning the tenders, according to law enforcement officials, the suspects purchased cheap coal and solid fuel of unknown origin, mixed it with dust, rock, and other impurities, and then supplied it to customers under the guise of high-quality bituminous coal. The accompanying documents contained false information about its characteristics.
Comprehensive expert analyses confirmed that the fuel did not meet the requirements of the contracts or state standards, particularly regarding ash content, moisture content, sulfur content, and volatile matter yield.
According to the Office of the Prosecutor General, the substandard coal was supplied under nine contracts to state and municipal institutions in four regions, including schools, kindergartens, high schools, a hospital, a psychoneurological residential facility, and a rehabilitation and sports center.
According to the findings of a forensic economic examination, the amount of confirmed losses exceeds 9.1 million hryvnias.
This was reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General on August 3.
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