The SSU suspects the abbess of a church of the UOC (MP) in Cherkasy region of fraud

The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) has exposed a criminal scheme involving the misuse of state-owned lands in the Cherkasy region. The scheme involved the abbess of a women's monastery of the UOC (MP). This information was reported by the SSU press service.

Over a period of 10 years, she illegally leased more than 40 hectares of agricultural land, which the state had provided to the nuns for their own farming purposes.

The "tenant" of the monastery's land was the owner of a local agricultural enterprise.

Every year, he paid the abbess tens of thousands of hryvnias in cash for the illegal use of the religious community's land.

According to the investigation, there were no formal agreements between the parties, and all "transactions" were based solely on verbal agreements.

This allowed the farmer to pay amounts for the land significantly below market prices and evade taxation.

Currently, based on the SSU materials, a lawsuit has been filed with the Economic Court of Cherkasy region to terminate the lease agreement with the religious institution and return the land to state ownership.

Within the framework of the criminal proceedings under Part 1 of Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (fraud), investigative actions are ongoing.

Comprehensive measures are being taken to establish all the circumstances of the crime and hold the participants of the "scheme" accountable.

The SSU, in collaboration with the National Police, conducted measures to expose the offense in the Cherkasy region under the procedural guidance of the Uman District Prosecutor's Office.