$20,000 a month for silence: how an Interior Ministry driver coordinated bribes for top police officials in three regions
# Five Suspects in Pornography Network Cover-up Case Remanded into Custody Five suspects accused of covering up a "pornography office" network — four regional police chiefs and their intermediary — have been remanded into custody. During searches, investigators seized 22.6 million hryvnia in cash, six luxury vehicles, and Swiss watches from the suspects. The court set bail ranging from 1.1 to 8 million hryvnia, which the suspects failed to pay.
By Tetiana Suchkova-Ladik
May 21, 2026 · 2 min read
On May 20, 2026, the SBU and the Office of the Prosecutor General conducted simultaneous searches at the main police departments of Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil, and Zhytomyr regions. The following day, the Pechersk District Court of Kyiv chose a preventive measure in the form of detention with bail ranging from 1.1 to 8 million hryvnias for five suspects.
How the scheme worked
According to the investigation, "porn offices" — premises where erotic and pornographic video content was filmed and distributed via the internet — operated unimpeded in all three regions thanks to a fixed monthly "subscription fee." As reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General, the amount of payments to the leadership of one regional police department was 20,000 dollars per month; another 5,000 dollars was received by an intermediary.
According to the investigation, the key figure in the chain of money transfers was a driver of the motor pool of the State Institution "Center for Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Units" — that is, an employee of an institution that serves the ministry itself. He used personal connections among the leadership of the National Police, arranged for non-interference, and coordinated the flow of money. He was detained "red-handed" while receiving the next tranche.
"The subscription fee amounted to 20 thousand US dollars per month for the leadership of the regional police unit. Another 5 thousand US dollars was received by the intermediary."
Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine
To conceal the scheme, participants used code names, messengers, and personal meetings. According to the investigation, in February 2026, the intermediary received 45,000 dollars in one tranche — part of which was intended for the next regional leader.
Who was detained
Among the five suspects are officials at the level of heads and deputy heads of regional main police departments:
- head of the Main Police Department in Ivano-Frankivsk region;
- deputy head of the Main Police Department in Ivano-Frankivsk region;
- first deputy head of the Main Police Department in Ternopil region;
- deputy head of the Main Police Department in Zhytomyr region;
- driver of the motor pool of the State Institution "Center for Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Units" — intermediary.
All have been charged under Part 4 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — receipt of improper benefit by an official in an especially large amount. The driver is additionally charged with incitement and complicity.
What was seized
During the searches of the suspects, as reported by Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko, the following was seized:
- cash in various currencies in the amount of over 22.6 million hryvnias;
- six luxury vehicles;
- five Swiss watches;
- firearms, cold weapons, and mobile phones.
In parallel, the head of the National Police Ivan Vyhivskyi suspended four regional officials and instructed their deputies to conduct comprehensive inspections in all three regions.
Suspicion ≠ conviction: all five are currently suspects, and their guilt must be proved in court.
The question of scope remains open: the investigation is still determining all those involved in the operation of the scheme — and if inspections reveal similar schemes in other regions, the case could extend far beyond the three main police departments.
