Ukrainian police arrests charity chief for $ 850K humanitarian vehicle scam

Ihor Panchenko, director of the "Unbreakable Poltavshchyna" charity foundation, stands accused of profiteering from humanitarian aid vehicles and illegal weapons possession.

Sep 30, 2024 - 14:00

Ukrainian police arrests charity chief for $ 850K humanitarian vehicle scam

The head of a charitable foundation in Poltava, Ihor Panchenko, accused of selling over 230 vehicles intended as humanitarian aid for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The head of a charitable foundation in Poltava, central Ukraine, has been arrested for allegedly selling over 230 vehicles intended as humanitarian aid for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, according to the National Police of Ukraine.

Ukraine intensified anti-corruption efforts, especially following the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022, driven by the desire to align more closely with European Union standards and secure ongoing financial and military support from Western nations. Ukraine established several institutions to combat corruption, including National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU),Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) and High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC).

The scheme in Poltava is reported to have generated more than 35 million UAH ($849,307), according to the police.

The suspect, identified by local news source Poltavshchyna as Ihor Panchenko, director of the Unbreakable Poltavshchyna charitable foundation, is accused of importing vehicles as humanitarian aid and then selling them to civilians and military personnel for personal profit.

Investigators claim that Panchenko and his associates sought out buyers, prepared vehicles for sale, and processed the necessary documentation.

To conceal the operation, they allegedly sent forged reports to the relevant ministry, falsely stating that the vehicles had been transferred to servicemen.

The police detained Panchenko during the sale of one such vehicle. He has been served with a notice of suspicion.

If convicted, Panchenko could face up to seven years in prison, a ban on holding certain positions or engaging in specific activities for up to three years, and confiscation of property.

The case has broader implications, as Poltavshchyna media reports that Panchenko is also involved in a separate criminal proceeding related to illegal weapons possession. In May, the Court in Poltava reportedly seized a Kalashnikov assault rifle, ammunition, and various hand grenades from Panchenko.

Earlier this month, the NABU and SAP caught a top deputy prosecutor from the Zaporizhzhia Oblast Prosecutor’s Office accepting a $40,000 bribe. The bribe was allegedly solicited in exchange for manipulating criminal proceedings, such as changing jurisdiction, lifting property seizures, and preventing prosecution.

In August, NABU arrested Oleksandr Kheil, Deputy Minister of Energy, along with three accomplices, for allegedly demanding a $500,000 bribe. The group was accused of soliciting money to facilitate the transfer of critical mining equipment from war-affected areas in Donetsk to western Ukraine.

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