The case of the seizure of Odesa airport: The episode of former Deputy Mayor of Odesa Anatolii Orlovskyi

The case of the seizure of Odesa airport: The episode of former Deputy Mayor of Odesa Anatolii Orlovskyi
Start of the trial 28 February 2024
Date of verdict 1 April 2024
Instance CCC
Stage of criminal proceedings Cassation proceedings

On March 29, 2024, the HACC convicted Anatolii Orlovskyi, former acting deputy mayor of Odesa, who took part in the seizure of property at Odesa Airport. The ex-official received 3 years of probation instead of 4.5 years in prison, as he pleaded guilty and concluded a plea agreement

According to the investigation, in the period from December 2009 to April 2011, Orlovskyi, together with businessmen Borys Kaufman and Oleksandr Borukhovych, conspired to organize a scheme to misappropriate the property and income from the activities of ME Odesa International Airport. To do this, they established a legal entity through controlled offshore companies, with which the Odesa City Council created a joint venture company, Odesa International Airport LLC, out of which only 25% belonged to the city. The relevant resolution in the city council was ensured by Oleksii Kostusiev, its former chairman.

Anatolii Orlovskyi was appointed Director of Odesa Airport Development, which later acquired 75% of the company that managed the airport. In order to bring the crime to an end, Kostusiev promoted Orlovskyi to the position of acting deputy mayor of Odesa in 2011. While working in the mayor's office, he signed all the necessary documents, which allowed the defendants to embezzle the airport property. To prevent the assets from being returned to the city, the airport property was pledged to a bank in 2013 to obtain a USD 30 million loan. Over 10 years, only USD 2 million on the loan was paid. 

The Prosecutor's Office estimates that the local budget suffered losses of more than UAH 2.5 billion, UAH 118 million of which is the value of the airport and the rest is misappropriated profits.

Orlovskyi's actions were classified under Article 191(5) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. He concluded a plea agreement, so the court imposed a 3-year probationary period on him with additional recognizances.

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Proceeding No. 52024000000000061
Case No. 991/1563/24
Date the hearing was scheduled 01/03/2024
Qualification
Article 191, part 5, Article 366, part 1
Instance Key parties
CCC 09/09/2024 Panel of judges: Holubytskyi S.S.
HACC AC 09/05/2024 Panel of judges: Chornenka D.S.
HACC 28/02/2024 Panel of judges: Halabala M.V.
THE CASE OF ANATOLII ORLOVSKYI
Cassation proceedings

Anatolii Orlovskyi, former acting deputy mayor of Odesa, helped embezzle more than UAH 2.5 billion from the local budget through a scheme to misappropriate the property of Odesa Airport. According to the plea agreement, the court only imposed a probationary period of 3 years on him. 

  • December 2009 – April 2011
    Orlovskyi and other defendants seized Odesa Airport
  • pic
    June 2012 – December 2022
    The defendants in the case seized more than UAH 2.5 billion in revenue from the airport’s operation
  • pic
    August 29, 2023
    Orlovskyi was served with a suspicion notice
  • October 16, 2023
    The HACC seized property of Odesa Airport.
  • February 21, 2024
    Orlovskyi concluded a plea agreement with the SAPO prosecutor
  • February 27, 2024
    The HACC received an indictment with a plea agreement
  • pic
    March 29, 2024
    The HACC imposed a 3-year probation on Orlovskyi
  • May 23, 2024
    The HACC Appeals Chamber initiated appeal proceedings against the verdict based on the lawyer's claim

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