The former head of the State Food and Grain Corporation was arrested: the value of the bail is UAH 60 million

The higher anti-corruption court arrested Petr Vovchuk, former head of the State Food and Grain Corporation.

VACS chose a preventive measure in the form of detention for the ex-chairman of the board of the State Food and Grain Corporation Petro Vovchuk, with the possibility of a bail of UAH 60 million. Olga Postoliuk, the press secretary of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP), said this in a comment to Ukrinform.

On March 13, SAP reported that Vovchuk was extradited from Lithuania, who is suspected of causing losses of 60 million dollars.

The investigation established that during July-October 2014, State Food and Grain Corporation. officials organized the conclusion and execution of foreign economic contracts for the sale of grain products to controlled enterprises at reduced prices. Among the participants of the scheme is the chairman of the board, as well as a representative of an international grain trader.

According to the criminal scheme, the grain, which belonged to a state-owned company, was delivered to Saudi Arabia through a number of companies on terms of post-payment. However, the funds for the delivered grain were never paid, as a result of which the state corporation suffered losses in the amount of more than 60 million dollars.

Petro Vovchuk was wanted since March 2017. After his detention in 2019, the exhibitor tried to get asylum in Lithuania, but was refused. The suspect also appealed the extradition decision, but after 4 years of court hearings, Vovchuk was still extradited to Ukraine.

At present, the proceedings concerning Vovchuk’s advisor and the representative of the international trader are being considered in court. Two more persons involved in the case entered into an agreement with the investigation and compensated for the damages caused by them. They are also currently looking for one of the suspects.