A resident of the temporarily occupied Nova Kakhovka is suspected of appropriating jewelry worth more than UAH 8.5 million.
This is reported on the website of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Kherson Oblast.
According to law enforcement, the man worked as the manager of a jewelry store and as the head of seven branches of one pawnbroker network. From 2015 to 2019, appropriate employment contracts were concluded with him. His duties included overseeing the operation of the facilities, accounting, safekeeping, security and transportation of funds and items made of precious metals and stones.
On the first day of Russia’s full-scale invasion, the owners instructed him to collect material valuables from all branches for further removal to the central offices. The man visited six pawnshop branches and the jewelry store and took items from them. In March 2022 he also removed valuables from the last branch in the already occupied Nova Kakhovka.
Investigators determined that he did not return the collected valuables. At 2022 prices, the suspect appropriated jewelry worth UAH 3,560,909 that belonged to the owner of the store, and another UAH 5,019,232 from the pawnshop branches.
Criminal investigation operatives found that the man did not plan to return to territory under Ukraine’s control. Instead, he disposed of the property at his own discretion and is now mostly in Russia.
Investigators informed him of suspicion under Part 5 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — misappropriation or embezzlement of property by abusing official position.
The article’s sanction provides for up to 12 years of imprisonment with confiscation of property.