A Ukrainian court has ordered the detention of former Agriculture Minister Mykola Solskyi, allowing for bail as part of an investigation into alleged grain fraud. The announcement was made by Ukraine’s Prosecutor General, Ruslan Kravchenko.
According to the investigation, Solskyi, along with two accomplices, attempted to sell 7,000 tons of non-existent corn using forged warehouse documents. While records indicated that a grain elevator was filled with produce, the facility was, in reality, empty.
The court determined that Solskyi should be held in custody with an option for bail set at 63.7 million hryvnias, a figure that corresponds to the verified losses as assessed by experts. This decision underscores the severity of the allegations against him.
In addition to Solskyi, the investigation also involves two other individuals: the director of the agricultural enterprise and the technical manager. A request for similar preventive measures has been submitted to the court regarding their cases.
The pre-trial investigation is ongoing, and the suspects face potential imprisonment ranging from five to twelve years, along with asset confiscation under Article 190 of the Ukrainian Criminal Code.
Former Ukrainian Agriculture Minister Mykola Solskyi has been ordered to be detained in connection with a grain fraud case involving the sale of fictitious corn. The ongoing investigation highlights significant allegations of financial misconduct within the agricultural sector.