Case description
The SAPO accuses the Mayor of Mukachevo, Andrii Baloha, of ensuring the adoption of a decision to sell a municipal land plot at an undervalued price. As a result, the community of Mukachevo allegedly suffered losses amounting to nearly UAH 75 million.
Other defendants in this case:
- Artur Samiliak — former head of the Land Relations Department of the Mukachevo City Council’s Municipal Property Office
- Mykhailo Lanio — chair of the Mukachevo District Council, former owner of Universal-M LLC
- Serhii Fyl — land appraiser, co-founder and director of Binom Group LLC
- Vitalii Zaluzhnyi — co-founder and former director of Binom Group LLC, also a founder and director of Forex Consulting Company LLC
- Nataliia Cherednychenko — an appraiser and employee of Binom Group LLC.
The story began back in 2003, when Universal-M LLC acquired ownership of the Avanhard stadium complex located in central Mukachevo. The ultimate beneficiary of the company is Mykhailo Lanio, who was later elected as Chair of the Mukachevo District Council, a position he still holds.
According to the prosecution, Lanio approached Mukachevo Mayor Andrii Baloha to facilitate the purchase of the land under the stadium by Universal-M LLC at a reduced price. The mayor, in turn, ensured that the decision for the sale was passed.
As a result, the land, with a market value of nearly UAH 85 million, was sold for less than UAH 10 million. That means the city budget suffered losses of almost UAH 75 million. Furthermore, the mayor personally granted the company a six-month instalment plan for payment. Artur Samiliak, allegedly in collusion with Baloha and Lanio, paid a bribe of UAH 16,000 to appraiser Serhii Fyl for a deliberately false valuation. Vitalii Zaluzhnyi is believed to have organized the bribery scheme. Instead of using comparable plots near the stadium, the appraiser based the valuation on land prices from other regions. Investigators also allege that after acquiring the land, the suspects intended to change its designation and build a residential and commercial complex in place of the stadium.
Nataliia Cherednychenko prepared and signed a forged expert monetary valuation report for a land plot in her capacity as an appraiser.
Notably, Fyl has been served a notice of suspicion in another case with similar circumstances.
In July 2024, during a hearing on the interim measure for Fyl, the suspect submitted what is believed to be a forged document as evidence of innocence. The same document was later submitted by Zaluzhnyi during his own interim measure hearing.
Legal qualification of actions:
Andrii Baloha's – Articles 364(2), 358(3), and 368-4(2), 368-4(4) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
Mykhailo Lanio – Articles 27(3), 28(2), and 364(2) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
Artur Samiliak – Articles 28(2), 364(2), and 368-4(2) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
Serhii Fyl – Articles 27(5), 28(2), 364(2), 358(3), 368-4(4), and 384(2) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
Vitalii Zaluzhnyi – Articles 27(5), 28(2), 364(2), 27(3), 358(3), 368-4(4), and 384(1) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.In a separate case, his actions are qualified under Article 209(1) of the Criminal Code.
Nataliia Cherednychenko – Article 27(5), Article 28(2), Article 364(2), and Article 358(3) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
The pre-trial investigation was repeatedly extended due to objective reasons and is now complete. Now the investigation is completed.
According to detectives, the co-founders of the companies involved systematically provided similar “land services” — including in a case involving a member of the Cherkasy Regional Council.
Fyl and Zaluzhnyi were held in pre-trial detention.
A special pre-trial investigation was conducted in relation to Nataliia Cherednychenko. It is also known that an extradition check is being carried out in Germany. She was arrested in Germany pending a decision on the matter and has since been released, but the issue of extradition is still being resolved.
