Former Ukrenergo official suspected of embezzlement

The Security Service of Ukraine and the National Anti-Corruption Bureau have uncovered a scheme to embezzle funds from the state enterprise Ukrenergo. 

The main suspect in the case is Vladimir Skorobagach, former deputy head of the Kharkiv Regional Council, known as one of the participants in the so-called "Monaco Battalion" – a group of Ukrainian officials leading a luxurious lifestyle abroad.

The scheme

Acting in collusion with two accomplices, Skorobagach organised a fraudulent chain through the private company TOV "Powerstock", based in Kyiv and engaged in the trade of energy carriers.

• Fictitious companies: Through three shell companies, the accomplices received electricity from Ukrenergo, which they then sold to end consumers.
• Non-payment: The fraudsters did not pay for the electricity sold, accumulating debt to the state enterprise.
• Asset stripping: The nearly 60 million hryvnia obtained was transferred to the accounts of a company registered in one of the Balkan states.

Luxurious life on the French Riviera

The stolen funds allowed Vladimir Skorobagach to lead a comfortable existence abroad. Living on the French Riviera, he regularly uses private charters and does not limit his spending.

Law enforcement actions

During the investigation, Denis Khokhlov, the director of the company "Powerstock", who was in Kyiv, was detained.

• Skorobagach's accomplice, the company's founder Irina Khasianova, as well as the former official himself, were issued notifications of suspicion in absentia, as they are outside Ukraine.
• The investigation is ongoing, and law enforcement agencies are working to establish all the circumstances of the case and return the stolen funds to the state budget.

The case of Vladimir Skorobagach vividly illustrates the problem of corruption in the sphere of state enterprises.