Fictitious certificates for sailors: hospital director detained in Odesa for corruption scheme

The director of a private hospital in Odesa organized a corruption scheme to issue medical certificates for seamen.

The defendant provided documents on fitness to work on ships to citizens who were abroad, reports the Main Directorate of the National Police of Odesa region.

The police documented the dealings of the 74-year-old director of a private medical center with respect to three “clients”. In particular, it is known that the director has a certification from the Ministry of Health to provide services for conducting medical examinations of sailors, and at the same time is the head of an expert commission.

For a monetary reward, he promised to issue medical certificates on the fitness of sailors to work on ships, without checking the health of citizens who were abroad at that time.

“Based on previous medical certificates, the defendant entered data on the “visits” of three sailors to the institution he heads and their alleged medical examination into the outpatient registration log. After that, he personally filled out the medical certificates, indicating the positions that men could work in: machinist, sailor and mechanic, signed them and certified them with a seal as official documents,” the police said.

For such a “service”, the director of the private hospital demanded a total of $300 and 7,500 hryvnias.

The police detained him in his own office – while handing over the fictitious certificates to the sailors’ trustee and receiving the entire bribe amount.

The man was also informed of suspicion under Part 4 of Article 368-4 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. He faces imprisonment for a term of up to eight years with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for a term of up to three years, with confiscation of property.

It should be noted that the issue of choosing a preventive measure for the suspect and removing him from the functional duties of the director of the medical center and the chairman of the commission is currently being resolved. The investigation is ongoing. All circumstances of the crime and the full range of persons who may be involved in it are being established.