Uzhhorod City Council Deputy Under Suspicion
A deputy of the Uzhhorod City Council has been formally notified of suspicion for filing a false asset declaration and laundering illicit income. The charges stem from a comprehensive review of the declaration conducted by the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NAZK). The official is accused of knowingly submitting false information concerning 13.8 million hryvnias and laundering criminally obtained funds.
Findings of the Declaration Review
The NAZK's full verification focused on the declaration for the year 2022. The probe revealed the omission of several significant assets, including:
- A 358.8 square meter residential house in Uzhhorod;
- The land plot beneath this house;
- A 78.5 square meter residential house in Kyiv;
- A loan of $315,000 USD provided to a third party;
- 1.3 million hryvnias in personal bank accounts;
- Personal financial liabilities of nearly 800,000 hryvnias.
According to the investigation, the official attempted to legitimize funds by lending them to another individual. Furthermore, the declarant failed to verify the origin of funds used to increase personal cash holdings by almost 2 million hryvnias. The pre-trial investigation was carried out by detectives of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Zakarpattia Oblast, with operational support from the Directorate of Strategic Investigations in the same region.
This case is part of Ukraine's broader national campaign to combat corruption and enforce transparency in the financial affairs of public officials. The failure to properly declare assets is a serious offense under Ukrainian law, intended to prevent illicit enrichment. The outcome of this investigation will be closely watched as a test of the system's effectiveness in holding officials accountable and deterring future violations.
The scrutiny of asset declarations among public officials continues, as evidenced by recent developments involving another lawmaker in the region. In a similar case, prosecutors have brought charges against a Transcarpathian legislator for failing to declare 8.3 million hryvnias. This ongoing investigation emphasizes the critical importance of transparency and adherence to legal standards in public service. For more details on this related case, see the charges against the Transcarpathian lawmaker.