In Kharkov, hospital employees fabricated fake staff members, embezzling over a million grams of state budget funds.
Fictitious Employees and Fraudulent Mobilization Deferments in a Kharkiv Hospital
A disturbing case of fraud has surfaced at a hospital in Kharkiv, Ukraine, involving the employment of 'phantom' staff members and the embezzlement of public funds.
According to reports from the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office, the director and head nurse of the hospital are suspected of adding non-working staff members to the hospital's roster. These 'ghost employees' were regularly paid despite not performing any duties.
One of the 'phantom' employees was a pregnant subordinate who was offered leave but remained on the payroll. Three more acquaintances were also added to the hospital's fake staff list. The director appointed two more men to avoid mobilization, using their positions as medical workers.
The scheme involved forging timesheets, leading to the illicit payment of over 1 million UAH from the state budget. The director and head nurse are suspected of embezzlement through abuse of official position and official forgery (part 5 of article 191 and part 1 of article 366 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The director is additionally charged with obstructing the lawful activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (part 1 of article 114-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
The Saltivsky District Prosecutor's Office of Kharkiv is handling the case, and the director is reported to be compensating for the damage caused. The head nurse of the hospital has also been notified of suspicion of embezzlement.
While this case is confirmed and publicized by the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office, there is no indication from the available sources on how common this practice is across other hospitals in Ukraine or a broader statistical prevalence. This incident highlights a concrete example of such fraud within a Ukrainian hospital, involving the abuse of official positions, forgery, and the obstruction of the Armed Forces' activities.
References: [1] Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office. (n.d.). Case of "phantom" employees in hospitals leading to fraudulent deferments from mobilization in Kharkiv. Retrieved from https://www.prokuratura.gov.ua/ua/news/2021/06/29/200077/
- The science of investigating fraud in healthcare systems might provide insights into understanding the strategies employed by the hospital director and head nurse in the Kharkiv case, contributing to health-and-wellness research and general news discussions on breaches of public trust.
- It is worth considering the implications of this crime-and-justice case on medical-conditions, as fake staff members being on the payroll could potentially compromise patient care resources and safety within the hospital.
- In light of the increasing importance of transparency and integrity in government, this incident serves as a significant reminder for the broader public to stay informed on ongoing investigations and efforts towards maintaining accountability in health-and-wellness institutions, as well as in crime-and-justice matters.
