The owner of I&U Group, Serhii Tarasov, has been declared internationally wanted on suspicion of appropriating military land. He is hiding abroad and has hired lobbyists in the U.S. to protect his reputation.
This was reported by UNN, citing a response from the Main Investigative Department of the National Police of Ukraine.
Tarasov is suspected of organizing a scheme to withdraw land from state ownership through the Main Directorate of the State Geocadastre in the Kirovohrad region. According to the National Police, in addition to Serhii Tarasov, eight other individuals have been charged. Among them are officials of enterprises under his control, a senior official of the Kirovohrad Geocadastre, private notaries, and intermediaries.
They are accused of offenses under Part 5 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine ("Misappropriation or embezzlement of property through abuse of office") and Part 3 of Article 209 ("Legalization, laundering of property obtained by criminal means").
The investigation has been completed, and the defense is already reviewing the case materials, after which it will be sent to court. However, the main suspect remains outside the process.
"Since the whereabouts of the suspect, Tarasov S. D., have not been established, he has been declared internationally wanted, and the pre-trial investigation materials concerning him have been separated into a separate criminal proceeding. At present, the necessary investigative (search) actions and other measures are being carried out to establish the whereabouts of the suspect, Tarasov S. D., and to make a decision in accordance with the criminal procedural legislation of Ukraine," the National Police reported.
Currently, the Pechersk District Court of Kyiv is considering the issue of Tarasov's arrest, which would allow him to be declared internationally wanted through Interpol.
As a reminder, Tarasov's group is suspected of appropriating approximately 12,000 hectares of state land worth over 400 million UAH. The individuals involved forged documents, including ATO participant certificates, powers of attorney, and other papers, and, together with notaries, re-registered the plots to front persons, later transferring them to Tarasov himself.