A suspect in financial fraud involving the “green” tariff, who had been extradited from Poland, has been returned to Ukraine. The man, who owns a private solar power plant, is accused of illegally receiving nearly 1.3 million hryvnias for electricity he did not generate.
This was reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General, according to Ukrinform. The extradition of the 44-year-old suspect was organized by the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Prosecutor’s Office.
According to the investigation, in 2019 the suspect launched a scheme to inflate solar power generation figures. Specifically, a meter with modified software was installed at the power plant, which displayed readings ten times higher than the actual figures. This allowed the suspect to receive payments under the “green” tariff.
To cover his tracks, the perpetrator enlisted an electricity supply specialist, who, in turn, recruited four more employees. They were supposed to inspect the meter but instead drew up inspection reports without properly verifying its operation.
In exchange for his cooperation in the scheme, the organizer promised the foreman 10% of the illegally obtained funds. As a result of the inflated electricity production figures during 2019–2022, the suspect received approximately 1.3 million hryvnias.
After searches were conducted and other participants in the scheme were exposed, the man left the country and went into hiding abroad. He was charged in absentia with fraud and organizing unauthorized interference with electronic systems, pursuant to Part 4 of Article 190 and Part 2 of Article 361 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. An international arrest warrant has been issued for the suspect.
