Head of Transport Department Embezzles 600,000

Law enforcement officers in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast have notified the head of the city council's transport and communications department of suspicion. The official, abusing his position, embezzled 600,000 hryvnias intended for the construction of bus stops. He faces up to eight years in prison for his actions.

Corruption scheme: how the suspects operated

According to police, the 38-year-old official, presumably Andrii Hihliuk, organised a scheme over the course of a year involving two accomplices. Without conducting necessary calculations and ignoring pricing rules, he requested an additional 1.5 million hryvnias from the city budget for the construction of public transport stops.

A local married couple was recruited to implement the scheme. The 30-year-old woman registered as a sole proprietor under the relevant economic activity code, despite having no experience in construction. She signed a contract with the transport department to carry out the work. In reality, her 40-year-old husband built the stops using cheap materials: paint, pipes, glass, and gravel. However, the completed work certificates listed the materials at significantly inflated prices.

The department head's role in the embezzlement of funds

The official did not verify the cost of materials and signed the work acceptance certificates, effectively confirming false data. This allowed for the embezzlement of a portion of the budget funds. During searches, documents, mobile phones, and other evidence confirming their involvement in the crime were seized from the suspects.

Prosecutors clarify details of the charges

According to the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Prosecutor's Office, the official and the entrepreneur have been charged with appropriating another person's property through abuse of office, committed by a group of persons on a large scale. They are also suspected of laundering criminal proceeds and official forgery of documents.

Biography and career of the suspect

Andrii Hihliuk has held the position of head of the transport and communications department since 2019. Prior to this, he headed the economics department of the Tysmenytska Regional State Administration, and later became deputy head of the transport department in Ivano-Frankivsk. In 2023, his income in this position was 406,000 hryvnias.