Sergiy Tarasov, the richest man in Kirovohrad region and owner of the I&U Group agricultural holding, has been put on the international wanted list. He is suspected of organizing a scheme to withdraw land from state ownership through the Main Department of the State Geocadastre in Kirovohrad region.
This is stated in the story of Apostrophe TV.
In addition to Tarasov, eight other defendants were notified of suspicion, including officials of enterprises controlled by Tarasov, one of the heads of the state geocadastre in Kirovohrad region, private notaries and their intermediaries. They are charged with abuse of office and money laundering.
Ivan Morozov, one of the victims of Tarasov's land scam, is a marine. From the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the man stood up to defend our country. He served in the legendary 35th Marine Brigade. After numerous injuries at the front, the man was discharged from the service.
"In the year 24, I started dealing with these bureaucratic issues. I went to register the land, knowing that I was obliged to get it as a combatant. I wrote an application and waited," the soldier says.
About two weeks later, the man received a phone call and was informed that he, as a combatant, had allegedly already received the land several years ago, immediately after which he sold it to an agricultural businessman from Kirovohrad region, Serhiy Tarasov.
"The law enforcement agencies came to me and said, 'You served in 2018, you defended your homeland. And I say no. I went to defend my homeland in '22, when the full-scale war began. And they say that in 2018 I received land and sold it to some businessman. I was so shocked to hear this that my hair stood on end. I was supposedly in the ATO in '18, and this land is my property", Morozov, I think.
Ivan is not the only one whose documents were forged and used for enrichment. When the man started asking around among his comrades-in-arms, dozens of people had a similar situation.
"But there is something in common in these cases - Serhiy Tarasov is involved in all of them. He is the owner of the I&U Group agricultural holding," the journalists note. It is he who law enforcement officers suspect of organizing a scheme to withdraw land from state ownership.
"During investigative actions and forensic examinations, we confirmed the seizure of land plots with an estimated value of UAH 9.5 million. It was carried out by using the data of individuals. These are more than 80 people. These individuals forged statements that they were allegedly ATO participants who received their land ownership privileges," said Vadym Harkevych, Deputy Head of the Main Investigation Department of the National Police.
"This is just one of the episodes of the criminal group's activities, and the case will soon go to court. However, the main suspect is unlikely to appear in court because he has fled Ukraine and is hiding abroad.
According to Harkevych, at the stage of pre-trial investigation in the criminal proceedings, Tarasov evaded the investigation and court. There was information that he had left the territory of Ukraine back in 23. Therefore, the proceedings against him and two other defendants were separated and suspended in connection with the search for Tarasov. He was also put on the international wanted list. Investigative actions are ongoing.
Sergey Tarasov himself avoids communicating with Ukrainian journalists, instead hiring PR and lobbyists in the United States to present the criminal case as persecution.
While the investigation is ongoing, the fate of the land of the victims, including the defenders of Ukraine, remains unknown. The plots have been seized while the investigation is ongoing.