"Deputy of the Zhytomyr Regional Council Melashenko received a suspended sentence for fraud"

"Deputy of the Zhytomyr Regional Council Melashenko received a suspended sentence for fraud"

The Pechersk District Court of Kyiv found Zhytomyr Regional Council deputy Anatoliy Melashenko guilty of fraud.

This was reported by «Sudovyi Reporter» citing the verdict from August 15.

In January 2025, Melashenko met with a man at a public catering establishment «Sushiya» in Kyiv, who wanted to discuss the possibility of reinstatement at a state enterprise for an acquaintance. Melashenko learned that his interlocutor was unemployed and wished to be officially employed in a state body. The deputy decided to take advantage of this and said he could secure employment for the interlocutor for a certain monetary reward and asked to send his resume.

A month and a half later, Melashenko met again with the victim and stated that for 10 thousand US dollars, he could employ him as a member of the junior staff at ARMA. He assured the interlocutor that the money paid would be easily recoverable, working at ARMA, through corrupt schemes and crimes. Thus, he implied that working in ARMA allegedly provides the opportunity for illegal enrichment.

Melashenko even involved an ARMA official to conduct a formal interview with the victim. The ARMA employee met the man in a cafe and inquired about his professional qualities.

Following this, under law enforcement supervision, Melashenko was given the money and was apprehended.

It is believed that he had no real ability to employ the person, and his actions were initially deemed fraudulent.

The ARMA employee who interviewed the victim was referred to in court decisions as an unidentified person.

The court received a plea agreement. The deputy and prosecutor agreed on 4 years of imprisonment with a release on probation for a 1-year term.

Melashenko was elected to the Zhytomyr Regional Council in 2020 from the party «Opposition Platform — For Life». In the 2019 presidential election, he was a trusted representative of candidate Yuriy Boiko in the Zhytomyr region.