Case description
On August 17, 2023, the HACC found Serhii Shevchuk, a Rivne council member and head of the Radiation Protection Dispensary, guilty of extortion for a special status of a person with a disability. Shevchuk was fined UAH 68,000.
In March 2023, Shevchuk began to extort money from a woman who had the status of a “Chornobyl victim” and was suffering from related diseases. He asked for a bribe for help in issuing the documents necessary to obtain the status of a person with a disability related to the consequences of the Chornobyl accident. This status is lengthier and provides more social benefits and payments than the regular status of a person with a disability. On June 7, Shevchuk was detained while receiving a USD 1,200 bribe.
The court qualified Shevchuk's actions under Article 368, part 1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. He concluded a plea agreement and was sentenced to a UAH 68,000 fine and a ban on holding certain positions for a year. Shevchuk is also to transfer UAH 2 million to the needs of the Armed Forces. In addition, he voluntarily resigned from the position of chief physician of the radiation dispensary.
