The long-running struggle against entrenched corruption in Ukraine took a sharp turn this week as German authorities extradited a Ukrainian property appraiser accused of facilitating the fraudulent sale of communal land worth nearly $2 million. The woman, whose identity prosecutors have not disclosed, was transferred to the custody of Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) at the Krakovets–Korczowa border crossing in western Ukraine.

The extradition is part of a broader crackdown on corruption in the Zakarpattia region, an area long plagued by accusations of abuse of office and illicit land deals. According to investigators, the case reveals how local officials colluded with outside experts to siphon off public assets at bargain prices, effectively defrauding entire communities.

The case dates back to June 2024, when prosecutors say a group of seven individuals-including the appraiser, a city mayor, a district council head, and four other accomplices-conspired to sell more than three hectares of communal land for far less than its true market value. Central to the alleged scheme was a falsified expert valuation report prepared by the appraiser.

By deliberately undervaluing the land, prosecutors allege, the conspirators were able to sell it at a fraction of its real worth. The loss to the community was significant: NABU estimates the land was sold at a price nearly 81.7 million hryvnias ($1.98 million) below its actual value. For a region already struggling with economic challenges and limited development........

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