In Lviv, indictments have been sent to court in respect of a 48-year-old Lviv resident, the chief engineer of one of the region’s construction companies. He is accused of sexual offences against underage girls, producing and distributing child pornography, as well as attempting to bribe the head of the migration police. This was reported by the Lviv Regional Prosecutor’s Office and the Halytskyi District Prosecutor’s Office of the city of Lviv.
According to the investigation, in 2025–2026 the man committed sexual offences against five girls aged between 9 and 15. On Facebook he searched for minors from vulnerable or low-income families and from specialised institutions, sometimes posing as a peer, sometimes not concealing his age. Gradually he gained their trust, steered conversations towards sexual topics and, according to investigators, thereby corrupted the children.
The defendant discussed intimate meetings with the girls and forced them to record pornographic photos and videos, and in one instance, it is noted, resorted to blackmail. He stored the files in Telegram, some of them dating back to 2024, and shared them with at least six other individuals.
In addition, at the start of the investigation, the man, according to law enforcement officers, attempted to offer 4,000 US dollars in an unlawful benefit to the head of the regional migration police. In this way, according to the investigation, he sought to avoid liability for possessing and distributing child pornography and to obstruct the collection of evidence.
He is charged with recruiting a person for the purpose of exploitation in respect of a minor, corrupting minors, obtaining access to child pornography using information and telecommunication systems, intentional possession of child pornography, intentional distribution of video products containing child pornography, as well as offering an unlawful benefit to an official holding a position of responsibility, and offering a benefit for exerting influence over a decision (Part 3 of Article 149, Part 2 of Article 156, Parts 1, 3, 4 of Article 301-1, Part 3 of Article 369, Part 1 of Article 369-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
At the request of the prosecution, the defendant is being held in custody without the right to bail. The pre-trial investigation was conducted by Lviv District Police Department No. 1 of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Lviv Region and the Main Directorate of the National Police in Lviv Region.
Pursuant to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime and may not be subjected to criminal punishment until his or her guilt has been proven in the manner prescribed by law and established by a guilty verdict of a court.