Case description
The NABU and the SAPO suspect a group involving former council member Serhii Skuratovskyi of causing UAH 160 million in losses to a banking institution. The case concerns the illegal alienation of the right to claim a debt taken out for the construction of an apartment complex on the outskirts of Kyiv.
According to the investigation, the crime was committed by a group of individuals, including council member Skuratovskyi, the CEO of Setam, ARMA officials, and the Head of the Investigation Division of the Main Investigation Department of the Security Service of Ukraine.
In 2012, Serhii Skuratovskyi (the then member of the Kyiv Regional Council) began construction of an apartment complex on the outskirts of Kyiv. To do this, he took out a loan of more than UAH 200 million secured by the future residential complex and the land plots where it was located, as well as a number of personal guarantees.
Subsequently, the National Bank declared the bank that issued the loan insolvent. To avoid repaying the debt, in 2018-2019, Skuratovskyi organized the seizure and sale of the debt claim through the ARMA at a reduced price. They were to be purchased at an auction by a financial institution controlled by the group members. By using forged documents, the criminal group managed to sell the right to claim UAH 128 million for only UAH 16.5 million.
The scheme was facilitated by the head of one of the units of the Main Investigation Department of the Security Service of Ukraine, who initiated the seizure of the claim and its transfer to the ARMA. The arrest was later canceled for further sale.
The defendants in the case are charged with Article 191(5), Article 358(3) and (4), Article 368(3) and Article 369(3) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
