UOC (MP) cleric Anthony “gave” the church to his sister: SBU uncovers fraudulent actions

In the Kyiv region, a clergyman from the UOC (MP), Anthony, known as Ivan Pakanych, became a defendant in a criminal case for attempting to misappropriate church property worth more than UAH 7 million. The buildings belonging to the local religious community were transferred to his relative and then to an affiliated charitable foundation.

The Security Service of Ukraine, together with the National Police, found that the archimandrite first registered the “donation” to his sister and then transferred the same buildings to a foundation controlled by the clergyman himself. In this way, he tried to gain control over the real estate, which formally remained in the community’s ownership.

Law enforcement officers conducted searches of the clergyman and his relatives, as a result of which they seized computers, mobile phones, and documents confirming his illegal actions.

The archimandrite was served a notice of suspicion under two articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine: misappropriation of property on a large scale through abuse of office and forgery. He faces up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property.

The investigation is ongoing.