“Pooled their money”: over half a million hryvnias for children’s meals during remote learning

In the Mykolaiv region, a case against three people accused of embezzling public funds allocated for food at educational institutions has been sent to court. According to the police, more than 500,000 hryvnias were transferred from the account of the education department of a community in the Bashtanka district to pay for food products that were never actually delivered.

Investigators established that, from May to December 2022, the education department signed a series of contracts with a supplier for food products for preschools and secondary schools. However, due to martial law, schools were providing remote instruction, while kindergartens had suspended operations. No children were being fed at these institutions.

According to investigators, the scheme was devised by the head of the community’s Department of Education, Youth and Sports, the department’s chief accountant, and a representative of a sole proprietor.

The supply documents were prepared by a 44-year-old local resident who represented the entrepreneur. Using the entrepreneur’s details and stamp, she drew up and signed documents claiming that food products had been delivered, although no deliveries had actually taken place.

Investigators say that the head of the education department acted in prior collusion with the chief accountant. Despite knowing that no meals were being provided to children, they drew up contracts and signed documents claiming that the food products had been received. Public funds were transferred to the supplier on the basis of these documents.

In August 2026, investigators notified the head of the education department of suspicion. The entrepreneur’s representative was also notified of suspicion. During the investigation, the department’s chief accountant was also notified of suspicion.

The police provided the following legal classification of the actions of those involved in the case:

• The head of the Department of Education, Youth and Sports was notified of suspicion under Part 4 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — misappropriation or embezzlement of property, or taking possession of it through abuse of official position, on a large scale and under martial law. He was also notified of suspicion under Part 2 of Article 28 and Part 2 of Article 366 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — the preparation by an official of knowingly false official documents that caused serious consequences, in prior collusion by a group of persons.
• The chief accountant was notified of suspicion under Part 4 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — embezzlement of another person’s property through abuse of official position, on a large scale, in prior collusion by a group of persons and under martial law. The other suspicion is under Part 2 of Article 28 and Part 2 of Article 366 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine: the preparation by an official of knowingly false official documents with serious consequences, in prior collusion by a group of persons.
• The entrepreneur’s representative was notified of suspicion under Part 5 of Article 27 and Part 4 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — in connection with the misappropriation and embezzlement of public funds. In addition, under Part 5 of Article 27, Part 2 of Article 28 and Part 2 of Article 366 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, she was notified of suspicion of aiding an official in preparing knowingly false official documents that caused serious consequences, in prior collusion by a group of persons.

The pre-trial investigation has now been completed. Investigators submitted the indictment to the Bashtanka District Prosecutor’s Office, which referred it to court for consideration on the merits.

The accused face up to eight years in prison. An additional penalty may include disqualification from holding certain positions or engaging in certain activities for up to three years.

Under Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent and may not be subjected to criminal punishment until their guilt has been proven in accordance with the law and established by a court’s conviction.

Source: Mykolaiv Region Police.

We previously reported:

• Porridge under the microscope: law enforcement in Mykolaiv is checking what schoolchildren were fed
• More than 100 million stolen from the state budget allocated for feeding Ukrainian service members
• In the Mykolaiv region, an official stole money allocated for school repairs
• In 2020, the pandemic saved the budget 33 million hryvnias on school meals in Mykolaiv
• Court releases those involved in Mykolaiv’s “margarine scandal” on their own recognizance