High-ranking official in Odesa caught in $10,000 bribe scandal

In Odesa, a corruption case was revealed in one of the territorial departments of the Anti-Monopoly Committee of Ukraine. According to official information from the Office of the Prosecutor General, the head of one division within the Southern Interregional Territorial Department is suspected of extorting and accepting a bribe of $10,000.

According to investigators, the official demanded this amount from a private entrepreneur to ease administrative sanctions related to anti-monopoly law violations. For $10,000, she promised to reduce the fine from 3.5 million hryvnias (approximately $95,000) to 30,000 hryvnias (approximately $815) and delay the decision to blacklist the company. Such a listing would prevent the business from participating in future tenders.

Based on information provided by the Prosecutor General's Office, the official has been charged with extortion and accepting a financial benefit. She was detained under Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine. Preventive measures include temporary detention with the possibility of release on bail.

Corruption is one of Ukraine's main problems. Cases like this show that this issue is present at various levels of administration. At the same time, the actions taken by law enforcement agencies give hope for reducing the scale of this phenomenon.

Implementing strict sanctions and transparent procedures can contribute to more effectively combating corruption. Only in this way can it be ensured that the rule of law is respected and that the interests of entrepreneurs and consumers are protected.