NACP reveals unjustified assets of Kharkiv City Council official worth over UAH 1.6 million

06.10.2023

The National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) has found signs of illicit enrichment of Serhiy Garbaruk, a member of the Voronkiv village council of Boryspil district, Kyiv region, worth more than UAH 136 million. According to his 2019 declaration, he has no monetary assets. In his 2020 declaration, he indicated the acquisition of corporate rights for more than UAH 25 million, as well as his family's monetary assets: UAH 32 million, USD 1 million, and EUR 1 million. US dollars and 1 million euros. In November 2021, Garbaruk acquired corporate rights from related parties totaling almost UAH 50 million. At the same time, he reported income of UAH 75 thousand in his declaration. The total net income of Garbaruk and his wife in 2019-2021 amounted to almost UAH 9 million. At the same time, the couple's expenses exceeded their legal income and amounted to more than UAH 40 million. At the request of the National Agency, the MP refused to provide information and documents that could confirm the legality of the sources of funds. It is worth noting that the above-mentioned spouses' income in most cases was generated by the return of financial assistance previously provided to various enterprises, as well as by receiving financial assistance from the same business entities. These transactions were carried out with the participation of companies directly or indirectly related to the Garbaruk spouses, as well as directly through affiliates. This may indicate signs of tax evasion by converting non-cash funds into cash. Thus, the NACP concluded that the deputy of the Voronkiv village council acquired unjustified assets worth UAH 136 million 238 thousand more than his legitimate income. The materials regarding the village council member were sent to the Prosecutor General's Office to determine the jurisdiction and decide whether to register the information in the Unified Register of Pre-trial Investigations on the grounds of a criminal offense under Article 368-5 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. In December 2014, the Brovary City District Court of Kyiv Region found Sergiy Garbaruk guilty under Part 2 of Article 358 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - forgery of official documents. In 2009, at the request of unidentified persons, he forged state certificates for land plots and certificates of the land resources department in Boryspil district. The relevant government agencies did not have these documents.