Former head of the Brovary District State Administration, who was previously at the center of a scandal due to a drunk driving accident, has been detained again and placed under custody on new charges
This time, law enforcement authorities accused Volodymyr Maibozhenko and the director of a charitable organization of aiding illegal crossing of military-age men across the border under the guise of volunteer activities. Details of this case are being disclosed from official sources—the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), Kyiv Oblast Prosecutor’s Office, and an anonymous law enforcement source. According to information that has not yet been publicly emphasized, the criminal case materials do not specify the names of the suspects; however, sources from Ukrainska Pravda have learned that among those detained is also a former official. It is Maibozhenko himself, who in April 2024 caused a car accident involving four pedestrians while intoxicated. He has now become involved in a new legal case—he is suspected of attempting to organize a large-scale scheme and involve military reservists in illegally crossing the Ukrainian border. According to the prosecutor’s office, this illegal activity was meticulously planned and executed during the martial law period. The suspects established a scheme to smuggle men abroad using the "Shlyakh" (Path) system. Individuals involved in this criminal operation provided false data about men, posing as volunteers engaged in humanitarian aid. This mechanizm created an illusion of legitimate activity, allowing violators to leave Ukraine unimpeded or to cross the border illegally. Investigation data indicate that the charity organization’s director received payments of up to $2,000 USD from each client for such services. The funds, according to preliminary estimates, were used to purchase certain material assets necessary for carrying out the tasks, as well as to finance the organizers of the scheme—including payments for entering data of these citizens into the "Shlyakh" system on behalf of volunteers. Thus, the shadow channel operated for at least a year and served over 100 people seeking to illegally cross the border under the guise of volunteer work. Law enforcement managed to document the group’s activities, detain its members in Kyiv and Bucha district, and carry out searches at their residence and the charity organization’s office. During the investigative actions, mobile phones, computer equipment, documents of the charity, and draft notes evidencing the illegal scheme were seized. Currently, both suspects have been detained with a preventive measure of custody— the court decided to keep them in detention until the investigation concludes. This new case further damages the reputation of the former official within criminal circles and underscores the widespread use of corruption schemes, especially during wartime, to profit at the expense of vulnerable Ukrainian citizens. As law enforcement continues the investigation, experts responsibly warn of similar schemes still in operation and advise citizens to exercise caution with official volunteer organizations, monitoring transparency in their activities.