Criminal liability of founders, shareholders and ultimate beneficial owners in proceedings against a company

Дарʼя Свистула

What the webinar is about

The event is organised jointly with the Federation of Employers of Ukraine (FEU), a national organisation representing the interests of more than 3,000 enterprises across Ukraine.

A FREE SERVICE FOR FEU MEMBERS

An individual map of the criminal risks of the owner and of the ownership structure: one hour with the managing partner of PROCTOR and a written opinion on the structure of ownership, on the statuses of founder, shareholder and ultimate beneficial owner, on the powers of attorney in force and on the actual division of authority within the group of companies.

How to obtain the service: after the webinar leave a request through the FEU or write to [email protected] marking it "FEU" and naming the webinar. The service is provided to FEU members free of charge, in the scope set out in the programme, with an NDA signed where needed.

The webinar is for you if at least one of these is your question

  • You control a group of companies through a chain of ownership or through nominees, and the structure holds nominal directors or general powers of attorney.

  • The director, the chief accountant or another officer of your company has already been served with a notice of suspicion, or the company has been called in to give explanations.

  • Your company works with budget funds, state contracts, licences or special permits, and a halt to its activity would be critical.

  • You want to understand in which capacity they may come for you: as a founder, a shareholder, an ultimate beneficiary or a de facto manager.

Programme

  1. Founder, shareholder and ultimate beneficial owner: three different statuses and three different sets of risks. Which articles of the Criminal Code require a formal title and which mechanisms work on the fact of control.

  2. When an owner is drawn in as an accomplice: organiser, instigator, abettor. The figure of the de facto manager, the nominal director and the practice of the Supreme Court in 2025-2026.

  3. The articles where the founder or the shareholder is the direct subject: Articles 219, 222, 218-1 and 205-1 of the Criminal Code. And the line beyond which a beneficiary without a formal title does not fall under them.

  4. Article 191 of the Criminal Code as the main article of risk for an owner: why the private status of the company is no rescue, why a suspended sentence is impossible under it and what the prosecutor is bound to prove.

  5. Criminal law measures against the company itself: a fine, confiscation, liquidation and the new non-financial restrictions in force since 26 December 2024, among them a ban on taking part in public and defence procurement and the suspension of a licence.

  6. The procedural status of the owner in proceedings against the company: witness, third party in respect of property, representative of the legal entity. Searches, seizure, the freezing of accounts and of corporate rights.

  7. Preventive protection of the ownership structure and what to do at the first summons.

Daria Svystula
Speaker of the webinar

Daria Svystula

Managing partner, attorney at law

Defends business owners, entrepreneurs and senior executives, their assets and their reputation, in economic crime proceedings. Represents senior state officials in cases investigated by the NABU and the SAPO. 16 years in the law. Founded PROCTOR law firm in 2023.

Lawyer profile

Recording of the webinar

Date
August 5, 2026, 14:00
Format
Zoom
Duration
90 minutes
Price
Free
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