Denys Korotkiy, Obstruction of Justice, California 2023

San Diego, California - In a brazen display of disregard for environmental regulations, Denys Korotkiy, Chief Engineer of the vessel Donald, has been convicted of conspiracy to obstruct justice, obstruction of justice, and failure to maintain an accurate oil record book.

The evidence presented during the five-day jury trial revealed that Korotkiy and his accomplices deliberately dumped oily bilge water directly into the ocean through the vessel’s sewage tank, without proper processing through required pollution prevention equipment. This egregious offense not only harmed the marine environment but also compromised the integrity of the oil record book, which is required by law to accurately document such discharges.

Korotkiy’s actions were further compounded by his false and fictitious entries in the oil record book, claiming transfers of oily bilge had been made from the vessel’s engine room bilge wells to the vessel’s Bilge Holding Tank, when in fact, those transfers had not been made. This blatant attempt to obstruct the investigation into the mishandling of oily bilge water onboard the Donald demonstrates a clear disregard for the law and the environment.

The U.S. Coast Guard’s Sector San Diego and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service are to be commended for their tireless efforts in investigating this case and bringing the perpetrators to justice. The guilty verdict serves as a stark reminder that those who seek to deliberately harm our natural resources will be held accountable.

Interunity Management (Deutschland) GMBH, the vessel operating company, has previously pleaded guilty to a felony violation of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships, for failing to accurately maintain the Donald’s oil record book. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Interunity will pay a total monetary penalty of $1.25 million and serve a four-year term of probation, during which any vessels operated by the company and calling on U.S. ports will be required to implement a robust Environmental Compliance Plan.

The monetary penalty includes $312,500 to fund projects, activities, or initiatives intended to benefit marine and coastal natural resources located in or around the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve. The company’s guilty plea and forthcoming penalties serve as a stern warning to all vessel operators that environmental regulations will be enforced with the utmost rigor.

At the conclusion of the trial, the court remanded Chief Engineer Korotkiy to custody. Sentencing is scheduled for September 1, 2023. The severity of Korotkiy’s sentence will depend on the court’s final determination, but one thing is certain – he will face the full weight of the law for his crimes.

The case highlights the unwavering commitment of the U.S. Coast Guard and its partners to safeguard our oceans against those who seek to deliberately harm our natural resources. As Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Environment and Natural Resources Division noted, “The illegal discharge of oily bilge water at sea and the falsification and destruction of records in order to obstruct the United States’ ability to investigate those discharges are crimes we take seriously.”

The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California, Randy Grossman, echoed this sentiment, stating, “Unlawful oil discharges can cause immeasurable harm to the marine environment. We will continue to work closely with our agency partners to safeguard our oceans by vigorous enforcement of environmental laws. This case is a reflection of that commitment.”

Defendant Information: Denys Korotkiy, Convicted of Conspiracy to Obstruct Justice, Obstruction of Justice, and Failure to Maintain an Accurate Oil Record Book on June 9, 2023.

Sentencing Information: Sentencing scheduled for September 1, 2023.

Monetary Penalty: $1.25 million, including $312,500 to fund projects, activities, or initiatives intended to benefit marine and coastal natural resources located in or around the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Custody Status: Remanded to custody following conviction.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/chief-engineer-convicted-obstruction-justice-and-oil-record-book-offenses-operating-company