The SBI arrested a businessman who received $500 thousand in bribes for inflating prices for supplies of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

According to estimates, the state budget could suffer losses of over UAH 1 billion.

The State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) reported that on Friday, December 29, well-known Lviv businessman Igor Grinkevich was detained. A businessman tried to bribe one of the Bureau's leaders for 500 thousand US dollars.

According to the SBI, the Lviv businessman is one of the largest suppliers to the Ministry of Defense. He offered 500 thousand US dollars to one of the leaders of the Main Investigation Department of the State Bureau of Investigation.

The bribe was supposed to facilitate the return of property seized from the businessman’s companies during a criminal investigation. The Office of the Prosecutor General also reported this

Several months ago, the State Bureau of Investigation opened criminal proceedings into transactions involving the purchase of clothing and linen for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The Lviv businessman’s companies won 23 tenders to supply the Ministry of Defense with clothing worth more than UAH 1.5 billion.

Investigators found that enterprises controlled by the businessman, which were previously engaged in construction, were involved in the implementation of defense orders. However, the companies did not have adequate capacity to manufacture and store equipment for the needs of the Ministry of Defense. This led to budget losses, according to preliminary estimates, of UAH 1.2 billion and, accordingly, a disruption in supplies.

Law enforcement officers discovered a complete failure to fulfill six contracts. Under at least seven agreements, enterprises delivered goods to the warehouses of military units only in small quantities, but received government funds for full fulfillment of obligations. Also, eight contracts were completed with a delay of 3 to 5 months.

Prior to this, companies were found to have overestimated the cost of goods supplied to the Ministry of Defense. Now the SBI is checking the involvement of former officials of the Ministry of Defense in the transactions, who did not take any legal actions to ensure the implementation or termination of the contracts.

According to preliminary estimates, the amount of losses could reach more than UAH 1 billion. The businessman faces up to eight years in prison. The pre-trial investigation continues.

In addition, the businessman must be declared suspected of offering a bribe and a preventive measure in the form of detention must be chosen.