Driver's licenses without legal exams: a participant in a large-scale scheme was convicted in Mykolaiv

Four years and eight months with probation: court hands down verdict against the head of a driving school

Цей матеріал також доступний:

08 Jul 2026

0 701

Zavodskyi District Court of Mykolaiv June 1, 2026 delivered a verdict against the director of the private enterprise “Talisman-Auto” Yuriy Knyha, who was accused of participating in a scheme for the illegal issuance of driver’s licenses in Kherson, Mykolaiv and Odesa regions.

The case materials describe more than 200 episodes recorded by the investigation since the summer of 2023. According to the court, those wishing to obtain a driver’s license for money were helped to bypass the established procedure in the territorial service centers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. “Clients” were offered documents certifying the fictitious completion of theoretical and practical training at driving schools, and were also given instructions to take exams without difficulty. In this way, licenses of categories A, A1, B and B1 were issued. According to the case materials, staff of driving schools and territorial service centers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in three regions were involved in the scheme. Yuriy Knyha, who headed the driving school, fully admitted his guilt and reached an agreement with the prosecutor.

The court found him guilty under part 4 of Article 368-3, part 2 of Article 369-2 and part 1 of Article 366 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. These concern bribery of a private-law official, abuse of influence and official forgery. The defendant was sentenced to four years and eight months of imprisonment without confiscation of property, however he was released from serving the sentence with a probationary period of two years. The verdict has not yet entered into legal force and may be appealed in the manner prescribed by law.