Electricity fraud: trolleybus management overpaid millions, leadership under suspicion

The former director of the Chernivtsi Trolleybus Department and a procurement specialist have been notified of suspicion for abuse of office. According to the investigation, their actions caused the company to overpay almost UAH 3.5 million during the purchase of electricity. This was reported by UNN with reference to the Office of the Prosecutor General.

Details18 companies participated in the tender for the purchase of electricity. The Prozorro system identified two participants with the lowest prices. However, the authorized procurement officer, at the direction of the head, rejected their proposals. The formal explanation was the alleged “risk of artificial price reduction,” although such tender conditions did not provide for this.

As a result, the contract was signed with a company whose offer was more than UAH 8.4 million more expensive than those determined by the system. According to the prosecutor’s office, due to the conclusion of a more expensive contract, the company overpaid almost UAH 3.5 million.

Under the procedural guidance of the Chernivtsi Regional Prosecutor’s Office, the former director of the Chernivtsi Trolleybus Department and a public procurement specialist were notified of suspicion of abuse of office by prior conspiracy of a group of persons (Part 2 of Article 28, Part 2 of Article 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

The investigation is currently ongoing.

RecallIn Zakarpattia, officials of the UTC and commercial structures who appropriated more than UAH 6 million allocated for the construction of educational institutions were exposed. The organizer and three members of the organized criminal group were notified of suspicion.