Two regional SBU deputy heads charged in $600,000 amber extortion scheme
Ukraine’s Office of the Prosecutor General charged the deputy heads of the Security Service of Ukraine in the Kyiv and Rivne oblasts and a civilian intermediary for extorting more than $600,000 from a leading amber business owner to close a criminal case against his company, the prosecutor’s office reported.
The suspects allegedly demanded the bribe through an intermediary.
On March 6 in Kyiv, the first installment of $50,000 was handed over as proof of intent. The businessmen then received a “road map” for resolving issues in the criminal case.
On March 16, at a restaurant in Kyiv Oblast, the second part — $250,000 — was transferred.
Separately, the Rivne Oblast SBU deputy head allegedly demanded $22,000 from the company director to ensure unhindered amber extraction.
“‘The tariff for impunity’ in this story did not work. All three participants were detained, and the money was seized,” Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko stated.
The three face charges under Part 4 of Article 368 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code (accepting improper advantage in especially large amounts) and, in the intermediary’s case, also Part 5 of Article 27 (complicity). They face up to 12 years in prison with property confiscation.
The SBU has previously framed the detentions as part of the agency's ongoing internal "self-cleansing" campaign.
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