Police conducting large-scale searches in medical facilities across Ukraine

The National Police are conducting searches in 70 medical institutions throughout Ukraine in the case of misappropriation of budget funds.

It was reported by the press service of the National Police of Ukraine.

"The police are documenting schemes of misappropriation of budget funds that were supposed to be used for the treatment of Ukrainians under medical guarantee programs. We are talking about fictitious medical services and manipulation of data in the electronic healthcare system," the police explained, noting that they are conducting about 70 searches.

According to preliminary estimates of law enforcement officers, the amount of damage may reach hundreds of millions of hryvnias.

A set of measures is being taken to record illegal activities and identify all those involved by investigators of the Main Department of the National Police and the Department of Strategic Investigations, prosecutors with the assistance of the Ministry of Health and the National Health Service of Ukraine.

It is reported that the pre-trial investigation is carried out on the facts of:

• misappropriation and embezzlement of property (Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine),
• abuse of power or official position (Article 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine),
• official forgery (Article 366 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine),
• interference with the operation of automated systems (Article 362 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine),
• official negligence (Article 367 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine),
• legalization of proceeds from crime (Article 209 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

The sanctions of the incriminated articles provide for a penalty of up to 12 years of imprisonment with confiscation of property. Investigative actions are currently ongoing.