It concerns the creation and participation in a criminal organization and the seizure of property by fraudulent means, committed under martial law on an especially large scale.
Igor Grinkevich received suspicion in the case of supplying clothing to the army
Lvov businessman Igor Grinkevich, detained on suspicion of attempting to provide a bribe, received a new suspicion in the pre-trial detention center. First, the UP wrote about this with reference to interlocutors in law enforcement agencies, then it was officially confirmed by the DBR.
The damage from the deal is estimated at almost a billion hryvnia. The Bureau exposed Grinkevich and members of a criminal organization in transactions involving the purchase of clothing and underwear for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
“It was established that the entrepreneur created a criminal organization for the illegal seizure of budget funds. He entered into agreements with the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine for the supply of low-quality military clothing. In particular, the companies of the Lviv businessman entered into 23 agreements for the supply of clothing to the Ministry of Defense of more than by UAH 1.5 billion,” the DBR reported.
Enterprises controlled by the businessman that were previously engaged in construction and did not have adequate production, warehouse and other facilities for the production and storage of clothing for the needs of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine were involved in the implementation of defense orders. According to the examinations carried out, the state suffered damage worth more than 934 million hryvnia.
Five members of a criminal organization were informed of suspicion of creating and participating in a criminal organization and of taking possession of someone else’s property through abuse of trust (fraud), committed under martial law, on an especially large scale, by a criminal organization (Part 5 of Article 190, Part 1.2, Art. 255 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
Members of the criminal organization were detained. The sanctions of the articles provide for punishment in the form of imprisonment for a term of up to 12 years with confiscation of property.
DBI investigators are identifying the full range of persons involved in the criminal offense, including checking information regarding officials of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
Grinkevich cases
- On December 29, 2023, employees of the DBI detained a businessman who offered a bribe of $500 thousand to one of the leaders of the Main Investigation Department of the DBR for assistance in returning property seized from companies under his control during the investigation.
- The next day after his arrest, the Pechersky District Court of Kyiv chose a preventive measure for him. Grinkevich was sent into custody with the opportunity to post bail in the amount of 429 million 440 thousand hryvnia.
- Subsequently, the DBI reported that the suspect’s property was seized.
- There is another episode. Grinkevich's companies must supply the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine with clothing for the troops. The Lviv businessman’s companies won 23 tenders to supply the Ministry of Defense with clothing worth more than UAH 1.5 billion. During the investigation, it was established that enterprises controlled by the businessman, which were previously engaged in construction and did not have adequate production, warehouse and other facilities for the manufacture and storage of clothing for the needs of the Ministry of Defense, were involved in the implementation of defense orders. According to preliminary estimates, this led to budget losses of UAH 1.2 billion and, accordingly, a disruption in supplies.
- Law enforcement officers discovered a complete failure to fulfill six contracts. Under at least seven contracts, enterprises delivered goods to the warehouses of military units only in small quantities, but received government funds for full fulfillment of obligations. It was also established that eight contracts were executed with a delay of three to five months.
- An analysis of foreign economic contracts and customs documents of these enterprises revealed facts of overestimation of the cost of goods supplied to the Ministry of Defense. The involvement in the transactions of former officials of the Ministry of Defense, who did not take any legal action to ensure the implementation or termination of contracts, is being verified. As of January 11, Grinkevich did not have the status of a suspect in the supply episode.
- For more details, see the explainer “The One and a Half Billion Scandal: What the Grinkevich Family is Accused of” on LB.
