$880,000 in coffee packs: how an eco-inspection official and her “patrons” save seized millions

$880,000 in coffee packs: how an eco-inspection official and her “patrons” save seized millions

On October 31, 2025, officers of the State Bureau of Investigations searched employees of the State Environmental Inspectorate in Dnipropetrovsk region.

This is reported by “Sudovyi reporter”.

The investigative actions took place in criminal proceedings concerning the deputy head of the State Environmental Inspectorate of the Prydniprovskyi District, son of a deceased multi-term member of parliament, who, with the assistance of his subordinates, including the head of the State Environmental Supervision Department, developed a scheme to extort and receive undue benefits from business entities.

A complaint against an enterprise was allegedly filed by a fictitious complainant. Using this pretext, an inspector would arrive for an inspection and allegedly offer to conclude waste disposal contracts with companies controlled by his superiors in exchange for concealing detected violations.

Searches and covert investigative measures revealed that the officials led a lifestyle that, to put it mildly, did not correspond to their official income — they used expensive real estate, luxury cars, likely registered property in the names of third parties, and kept large sums of cash at home. 

The mother of the eco-inspector official told the court that she bought the house in 2022 with savings — her own and those of her late husband. During his lifetime, her husband was engaged in scientific work, was a Candidate of Historical Sciences, associate professor, professor, member of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the II, IV, and V convocations, was actively involved in politics, and worked in diplomatic institutions…

However, this article is not about this family, but about another suspect.

Liliia Ch., head of the Dnipro District Department of State Environmental Supervision of Dnipropetrovsk region, was charged with unjustified assets worth UAH 46 million. These include an apartment of more than 100 m² in a premium residential complex and a BMW 520i. Allegedly, to conceal the property, ownership was registered in the name of a relative.

But most importantly, UAH 880,000 and EUR 201,500 in cash were seized from the suspect. These funds are not listed in her official declaration — the official lived on her salary alone… 

The search protocol and photos show that the dollars and euros were stored in coffee packages and in a “Gucci” bag. 

The woman was served with a notice of suspicion of illicit enrichment, which carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison. She was remanded in custody with an alternative bail of UAH 30 million. She spent a little over a month in the pre-trial detention center until the appellate court reduced the bail to UAH 908,000, ruling that the prosecutor had failed to prove that a higher amount was necessary.

On December 15, 2025, Ihor Zh. arrived at the Main Investigative Department of the State Bureau of Investigations in Kyiv. Having been warned of criminal liability for false testimony, he stated that he had known Liliia Ch. since approximately 2021 and maintained friendly and trusting relations with her. On October 22–23, 2025, during the daytime, due to his temporary departure abroad, he allegedly handed over his money to her on the street near her house for safekeeping — namely USD 880,000 and EUR 201,500.

However, after Ihor Zh.’s explanations, SBI officers did not return the money, so he filed a motion with the Pechersk District Court of Kyiv.

The man explained that the seized funds belonged to him and that he had earned them through hard work throughout his life. In 1986, he began working as a shop foreman; in 1989, as an engineer at “Dneprohypotrans”; and in 1995, he received an inheritance from his father. Since Ukraine gained independence, he has been engaged in business. He was the founder and head of the company “Imidzh”, which leases real estate and engages in various types of wholesale trade. In addition, he is an individual entrepreneur and declares his assets and pays taxes.

Ihor Zh. reported that over the past 20 years he had earned income exceeding USD 2.4 million in dollar equivalent — more than the amount seized during the SBI search — which, according to him, is confirmed by tax declarations and other evidence.

The applicant said that in the summer of 2021 he met Liliya Ch., and against the backdrop of deteriorating relations with his wife, they became friends. They occasionally met, drank coffee, and talked about life, relationships, and other topics. After his divorce, he continued to see Liliya Ch. periodically. When traveling abroad, he allegedly left money for safekeeping with his acquaintance. Since she lived in a guarded residential complex, it was safer than leaving a large sum in his own empty, unguarded house. This allegedly happened again during his next trip in October 2025.

Upon returning to Ukraine, he allegedly learned with surprise that his friend was in custody and that the same money had been seized from her apartment.

On January 27, 2026, investigating judge Serhiy Vovk of the Pechersk Court of Kyiv lifted the seizure of the funds. 

However, on February 9, Judge Svitlana Shaputko seized them again. 

The SBI investigator provided the judge with a protocol of covert investigative (search) measures dated December 27, 2025, which recorded correspondence and telephone conversations — the suspect allegedly discussed with a third party who would file a motion to lift the asset seizure, coordinated the text of testimony, including regarding her acquaintance with this man, their long-term friendship, and the circumstances under which he left money with her for safekeeping. She also allegedly asked for a photo of Ihor Zh., his date of birth, approximate address, explaining that she had in fact never seen him.

Ihor Zh. was accused of giving false testimony to SBI investigators in order to create artificial evidence of defense regarding Liliya Ch.’s non-involvement in a serious crime.

His former wife, with whom Ihor Zh. was married for more than 30 years and with whom he has two children, said she was unaware of any significant savings of her ex-husband, as he invested money in business.

Surveillance cameras at the residential complex recorded that during October 20–25, 2025, Liliya Ch. did not bring any bulky packages into the apartment. There is no contact with Ihor Zh. on the official’s mobile phone seized by investigators.

A cellmate at the Kyiv pre-trial detention center said that Liliya Ch. spoke on the phone with a man and allegedly received instructions on what exactly to say to the investigator about the money during interrogation.

On June 16, 2026, an indictment was sent to the Shevchenkivskyi District Court — Ihor Zh. will be tried for misleading the investigation.

On June 18, a new motion to lift the seizure of the funds was filed with the Pechersk District Court by another man.

The applicant stated that at the end of 2023 and the beginning of 2024 he sold land plots for nearly UAH 75 million. He gradually exchanged these funds for foreign currency at a favorable rate and then, through an intermediary friend, handed them over for safekeeping to the latter’s acquaintance, who lived in an apartment with a security system.

The court received copies of two land purchase and sale agreements and notarized payment instructions.

The applicant emphasized that he personally had not been notified of suspicion in this criminal proceeding and had the status of a witness.

On June 30, 2026, Judge Svitlana Hrechana lifted the seizure of the funds.