Threatened and Extorted Money: SBU Detained a Judge Who Nearly Sabotaged Construction for the Armed Forces of Ukraine

In Cherkasy region, law enforcement officers detained a lawyer who was trying to disrupt the construction of a transit parking area for the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ combat equipment. The man demanded 10% of the contract value from the contractor.

In addition, he threatened the contractor with physical retribution against family members. This is reported by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).

What is known about the perpetrator?

The defendant in the criminal case turned out to be a former judge who now has the status of a lawyer. Thanks to proactive intervention by law enforcement, authorities were able to save a strategic order for the Ministry of Defense.

The offender decided to profit from the owner of the enterprise that was engaged in erecting a defensive facility in the central region. The lawyer demanded 10% of the total construction amount. If refused, he said he would use personal connections to deal with the contractor and his family.

Investigation established that until 2016, the crook worked as a judge at the Uman City and District Court. He had previously been involved in criminal proceedings for taking bribes in exchange for issuing the 'necessary' court decisions.

The offender was remanded in custody. He was informed of suspicion under Part 4 of Article 189 of the Criminal Code, which covers extortion committed under martial law. The ex-judge faces up to 12 years in prison with full confiscation of property.

As a reminder, in Kharkiv region the SBU detained an ex-lawyer who had voluntarily mobilized into the ranks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Under orders from Russian intelligence services, he attempted to spy on the positions of Ukrainian paratroopers from within a combat unit.