The scheme for the misappropriation of budget funds allocated for the payment of employees' wages was organized by the director of the Vinnytsia branch of one of the enterprises of JSC "Ukrzaliznytsia" together with two of his deputies and the chief accountant.

As part of the organized group, they have been entering information into the accounting documentation since March 2022 about the accrual of additional payments to the management staff of the branch for brigade contracts, the payment of which is limited during the period of martial law in Ukraine.

The accomplices unlawfully accrued "bonuses" to the main salaries of employees who were not involved in work related to train movement, ensuring traffic safety, uninterrupted operation of the company, and others. Over more than 2 years, they formalized such additional payments totaling over 22 million hryvnias, part of which they appropriated for their own benefit.

Within the framework of the criminal proceedings, authorized searches were conducted, during which accounting documents, computer equipment, and funds were seized.

A seizure has been imposed on the property of the director and the chief accountant, namely real estate, vehicles, and a land plot.

The actions of the suspects have been qualified as misappropriation of property in especially large amounts, committed by an organized group through abuse of office, and official forgery (part 5 of Article 27, part 5 of Article 191, part 1 of Article 366 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

Preventive measures in the form of detention with the right to bail have been chosen for three suspects. The issue regarding the preventive measure for another suspect is still being resolved.

Under the procedural guidance of the prosecutors of the Vinnytsia Regional and Vinnytsia District Prosecutor's Offices, the pre-trial investigation is being conducted by investigators of the Vinnytsia District Police Department with operational support from the Strategic Investigations Department in the Vinnytsia region and the Security Service of Ukraine in the Vinnytsia region, GУ "I" DЗНД SBU.

Note: according to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is considered innocent of committing a crime and cannot be subjected to criminal punishment until their guilt is proven in a lawful manner and established by a guilty verdict of the court.