Lviv businessman Hrynkevych faces trial for $500,000 bribery case
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Lviv businessman, accused of attempting to bribe a Ukrainian State Bureau of Investigations (SBI) official with $500,000, is set to face trial, the SBI press service reported on Telegram on July 9.
While law enforcement officials did not disclose the businessman's surname, it is widely believed to be Ihor Hrynkevych.
An indictment has been filed against the Lviv businessman, the SBI said.
Hrynkevych allegedly sought to bribe officials to expedite the return of seized property and close criminal investigations into companies under his control — major suppliers to Ukraine's Defense Ministry.
The pre-trial investigation was completed by law enforcement in May 2024. Since then, the defense has been reviewing the investigation materials.
Upon learning that the SBI initiated a criminal case in 2023 concerning procurement schemes for clothing and underwear for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Hrynkevych reportedly attempted to evade criminal responsibility preemptively.
Hrynkevych arranged a meeting with an SBI official at a restaurant, where he handed over a bag of cash. Bureau personnel promptly apprehended him.
The case's defendant is charged under Article 369 Part 3 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (offering, promising, or giving an unlawful benefit to a public official), which carries a maximum sentence of eight years in prison.
Hrynkevychs' cases
Lviv developer and businessman Ihor Hrynkevych faces two charges.
The first accusation revolves around an alleged $500,000 bribery attempt involving an SBI official. He has been remanded in custody, with an alternative bail set at over 420 million UAH ($10.3 million).
The second accusation involves the creation of a criminal organization to unlawfully divert budget funds. Hrynkevych purportedly entered agreements with the Defense Ministry to supply substandard military clothing, causing nearly 1 billion UAH ($25,000) in damages to Ukraine's budget, as per investigators. He faces up to 12 years in prison for this charge.
Hrynkevych was among the Defense Ministry's top suppliers. Law enforcement discovered that companies under his control, previously engaged in construction, lacked the necessary manufacturing, storage, and other facilities required for Defense Ministry contracts.
The Defense Ministry terminated its last contract with Hrynkevych in January.
Hrynkevych's son, Roman Hrynkevych, was detained in Odesa on Jan 22, while attempting to illegally cross the border. The same day, Kyiv's Pechersk District Court remanded him in custody. He stands accused of participating in a criminal organization and wartime fraud. He is the fifth suspect in a case involving a criminal organization that supplied substandard clothing to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, causing damages totaling about 1 billion UAH ($25,000). Four other suspects, including Ihor Hrynkevych, are also in custody.
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