Lviv customs officer Pysko, who smuggled draft evaders, receives suspended sentence and fine

Suspended sentence for scheme-related activity

A Lviv court issued a ruling regarding former customs officer Serhiy Pysko and his co-defendant Roman Podufalo. The defendants were found guilty of smuggling men of conscription age abroad using other people's documents.

Both defendants reached guilty pleas with the prosecution. Judge Solomiya Ivasenko presided over the hearings in both cases.

Punishment for the ex-customs officer

Serhiy Pysko was sentenced to five years in prison. In addition, he was deprived of the right to hold positions in state authorities, revenue and collection bodies (customs authorities), as well as other positions involving the performance of representative authority functions and administrative-economic duties in the State Customs Service, for three years.

However, the court released Pysko from serving the main sentence, establishing a three-year probation period.

The convicted man is also required to transfer 500,000 hryvnias to the Armed Forces of Ukraine within 30 days of the verdict being pronounced. A further 266,000 hryvnias, previously paid as bail, will also be directed to military needs.

Verdict for the driver and confiscation of property

Roman Podufalo, who acted as the driver in the criminal scheme, was also sentenced to five years in prison, but without restrictions on professional activity. He was released from prison with a two-year probation period.

Podufalo is obliged to transfer 200,000 hryvnias to the AFU. The bail amount of 149,700 hryvnias has also been handed over to the military.

In addition, the court applied special confiscation of a Tesla Model S car, which was used to smuggle draft evaders. The vehicle belongs to Roman Podufalo's wife.

Both verdicts may still be appealed in the appellate instance.