Furniture Store Manager in Lida Suspected of Fraudulent Installment Plans and Off-the-Books Sales

Officers from the Hrodna Region Department for Combating Economic Crimes have identified the cause of a major inventory shortage at a retail outlet in Lida.

According to the Interior Ministry, the 48-year-old manager of a furniture store, who had access to the company’s accounting systems, issued fraudulent installment payment agreements when selling goods. He deposited only a small portion of the proceeds into the cash register and kept the rest for himself. He also periodically sold merchandise without recording the transactions through the cash register.

According to investigators, over a period of just more than three years, the suspect embezzled more than 165,000 Belarusian rubles, which he spent on personal needs.

Investigators have opened a criminal case on charges of embezzlement through abuse of official authority. The man faces up to 12 years in prison.