Case description
The NABU and the SAPO accuse Volodymyr Tereshchenko, Deputy Head of the Department for Coordination of Foreign Economic Activity at the Ministry of Defense, of causing $1.34 million in damages to the state-owned enterprise Promoboroneksport.
According to the investigation, Tereshchenko orchestrated a scheme to misappropriate state enterprise funds and used knowingly false documents. A contract was signed between Promoboroneksport and the Secretariat of the Mexican Navy for the provision of major repair services for three helicopters.
In the course of fulfilling this contract, Tereshchenko, acting as acting director of Promoboroneksport, signed an agreement with the US-based company Global Titan Distribution, Inc. Under this agreement, the company was to provide inspection and verification services for the technical condition of four aircraft engines and two gearboxes after overhaul. The total contract value was $1.4 million.
Subsequently, based on payment order No. 2115, the state enterprise transferred $1.34 million to Global Titan Distribution, Inc.
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However, the investigation found that this company did not in fact perform any services. Instead, Global Titan Distribution, Inc. had signed a separate agreement with another US company — PAC Aviation International, Inc. — under which the latter was to perform the services. The value of those services was $1.23 million, which was transferred from Global Titan Distribution, Inc. to PAC Aviation International, Inc. using the funds received from the Ukrainian enterprise.
Moreover, the investigation established that neither of these companies held certification from Motor Sich JSC, which is mandatory for performing such technical work.
It was also found that at the time some of the work acceptance certificates were signed, Tereshchenko was outside of Ukraine — he had departed for Turkey on October 22, 2016, and returned on October 30. This raises doubts about the authenticity of his signatures on the documents and suggests possible forgery of the accompanying documentation.
The investigation ultimately concluded that the agreement with Global Titan Distribution, Inc. served merely as a cover for siphoning funds. No services were actually rendered, resulting in losses to the state enterprise exceeding UAH 36 million.
Tereshchenko is charged under Article 191(5) and Article 366(1) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Court proceedings are currently suspended due to his mobilization.
