The Odessa Regional Prosecutor's Office has submitted an indictment to the court against a lawyer and two members of a criminal group, who, under the leadership of a city council deputy, unlawfully acquired real estate in central Odessa valued at over 11 million hryvnias.

They are charged with fraudulently acquiring municipal property, legalizing it, document forgery, unauthorized land occupation, and unlawful construction (Part 3 of Article 28, Parts 3, 4 of Article 358, Part 4 of Article 190, Part 3 of Article 197-1, Part 3 of Article 209 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

The investigation revealed that the deputy, who was a member of the city council's permanent commission on communal property, devised a scheme for illegal enrichment by registering ownership rights to properties that were directly or indirectly owned by territorial communities.

He involved a familiar lawyer and trusted associates in his plan.

Co-conspirators sought municipal premises on the first and second floors in central Odessa, rented them through controlled organizations, and then purchased them without competition.

Afterward, they increased the area of the already purchased premises by incorporating attics and basements, subsequently registering ownership rights under fictitious names based on forged documents.

Some of the illegally obtained non-residential premises were converted into residential apartments and sold to unsuspecting buyers.

In this way, the members of the organized group seized three properties in central Odessa and a land plot in the Peresyp district, causing the territorial community losses exceeding 11 million hryvnias.

The accused were exposed in May this year, and preventive measures were chosen in the form of detention with the possibility of bail.

In the framework of the criminal proceedings, the prosecutor's office has filed a civil lawsuit for damage recovery.

Materials related to the organizing deputy have been separated into a separate proceeding, and he has been placed on an international wanted list.

The pre-trial investigation was conducted by investigators from the Main Directorate of the National Police in Odessa region, with operational support from the Security Service of Ukraine in Odessa region.

Note: According to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a lawful manner by a court verdict.