A criminal authority from Khmelnytskyi, known as "Kostyl," has been sentenced to 8 years in prison.

The Kamianets-Podilskyi District Court has found criminal authority Oleksandr Koval, better known by the nickname "Kostyl," guilty of spreading criminal influence, theft, and carjacking. He has been sentenced to 8 years in prison, with the confiscation of assets, excluding his residence. This verdict was highlighted by "Judicial Reporter".

According to the case materials, Oleksandr Koval has a history of multiple convictions, most recently for intentional grievous bodily harm (Part 1, Article 121 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) – resulting in 5.5 years of imprisonment. During his time in prison, he gained respect among inmates. After his release in 2021, with the help of "watchers" in the Dunaivtsi and Derazhnia districts of the Khmelnytskyi region and other so-called "authorities," Koval achieved the status of a "vagabond." Subsequently, he monitored adherence to "thief's laws" and "criminal traditions," ensuring the replenishment of the "thief's common fund." For this, he earned the nickname "Kostyl."

In February 2022, he learned that a local resident was selling drugs without his permission. Koval approached the man at a nightclub, punched him, and explained that a fee must be paid for the right to sell. A week later, the drug dealer paid $700, and in April, upon a follow-up demand, he handed over another 10,000 UAH.

In June 2022, "Kostyl" assisted a man he had previously met in jail to reclaim a stolen car. The criminal authority organized a meeting, secured the return of the vehicle, and received $300 as a reward, later forcing the owner to pay an additional $400.

The authority was arrested in July 2022 on suspicion of a series of thefts and vehicle theft. Subsequently, charges for spreading criminal influence (Part 1, Article 255-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) were also added. In court, Koval partially admitted guilt. He denied his role in the criminal world, claiming that he has had the nickname "Kostyl" since childhood due to breaking both legs and having to wear a cast. He confirmed that he knows some representatives of the criminal underworld and had heard about a so-called "watcher" in jail. Another authority is a boxer. They worked out together at the gym and communicated amicably. "Kostyl" acknowledged helping a friend retrieve a car, and the fight at the nightclub allegedly occurred because a girlfriend complained about being insulted. He also denied receiving any help for this.

However, Oleksandr Koval's guilt was established through witness testimonies, recorded phone conversations, and his messaging correspondence. For the totality of his crimes, "Kostyl" was sentenced to 8 years of imprisonment with the confiscation of all assets, excluding his residence. This verdict can be appealed.

The verdict states that Oleksandr Koval is divorced. One witness revealed that Koval's ex-wife was the director of the "Playboy" nightclub in Kamianets-Podilskyi. According to the publication “Detective info”, it was near this club in 2016 that Koval brutally assaulted an opponent, for which he ended up in jail, where he gained authority among the inmates.