In Kharkiv, a vice-rector for scientific and pedagogical work at a local university and two of his accomplices will be tried for fictitiously employing nine individuals at the university. Over the span of 11 years, these fake employees received more than 14 million UAH in salaries, which were embezzled by the scheme's organizers. This was reported by the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office on Friday, January 31.
According to investigators, in 2012, the vice-rector was friends with the director of a Kharkiv company that had long been performing renovation work at the educational institution where he was employed.
“Together, they decided to organize a scheme to embezzle budget funds from the educational institution. The university official suggested that the company director select fictitious workers for positions at the university, who would not be required to be present at their workplaces or carry out duties according to their positions,” the report states.
The company's director also involved a foreman in this scheme, who assisted in finding fictitious employees.
“From 2012 to 2023, nine individuals were hired at the university for maintenance worker positions, including relatives and acquaintances of the organizers of the illegal scheme,” the prosecutor's office added.
The fictitious employees did not show up for work and did not fulfill their duties; however, they were credited monthly with salaries and bonuses. The individuals involved divided the money among themselves. Over the 11 years, the total amount of unjustified salaries and bonuses paid reached nearly 14.3 million UAH.
All three individuals involved in the case are accused of misappropriating someone else's property through the abuse of their official position, committed repeatedly, in conspiracy by a group of individuals, in large and especially large amounts, and under martial law (parts 4, 5 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). They face up to 12 years in prison with the deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in specific activities for up to 3 years and confiscation of property.
Additionally, the university official is charged with issuing knowingly false official documents (part 1 of Article 366 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The sanctions for this article provide for punishment in the form of a fine ranging from 2,000 to 4,000 non-taxable minimum incomes of citizens (34,000 – 68,000 UAH) or restriction of liberty for up to 3 years, with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in specific activities for 3 years.
Updated. According to sources from law enforcement agencies cited by "Ukrainska Pravda," the case involves the National Aerospace University named after M. Ye. Zhukovsky, "Kharkiv Aviation Institute." The former rector of the university, 72-year-old Mykola Nechyporuk, is also mentioned in the case.