Cryptocurrency scandal: SBU officer convicted for extortion of $60,000
28 November 07:26
An SBU officer who was caught by NABU taking a $60,000 bribe was sentenced to ten years in prison. This was reported by the press service of the HACC, Komersant ukrainskyi reports
According to the Anti-Corruption Action Center, it is an employee of the Department of Counterintelligence Protection of the State’s Interests in the Field of Information Security of the Security Service of Ukraine, Serhiy Shcherbakovsky.
He was found guilty of bribery. This is Part 4 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
“The HACC sentenced the accused to 10 years in prison with disqualification to hold positions in law enforcement agencies for 3 years and confiscation of property,” the statement said.
The Anti-Corruption Court also confiscated virtual assets (cryptocurrency) of the accused totaling USD 57,412.34.
In addition, the bribe-taker was stripped of his military rank of colonel.
The verdict can be appealed within 30 days.
According to the AntAC, Shcherbakovsky was detained in July 2022. According to the investigation, he demanded a bribe for assistance in returning equipment seized as part of an investigation into the theft of electricity in eastern Ukraine, as well as for not interfering with his cryptocurrency mining business.
Having received an offer to pay for the seized goods, the owner of the equipment immediately filed a corresponding application with the NABU.
As of today, Shcherbakovsky has been granted bail in the amount of almost UAH 2 million.
