Under the procedural guidance of the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office, four residents of Kyiv have been notified of suspicion in fraud committed by an organized group (Part 5 of Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

The investigation established that in 2022, a resident of Kyiv created and led an organized group with the aim of unlawfully obtaining money from citizens through deception. He involved three acquaintances in the group – two women and a man.

To cover up their illegal activities, the perpetrators used a limited liability company, on behalf of which they ordered the production of dietary supplements at another enterprise's facilities. In reality, the products did not contain the declared components but were sold under a fictitious trade name.

The suspects rented an office in a business center in Kyiv, from where they systematically called potential buyers – primarily elderly individuals and people with serious illnesses. They positioned themselves as qualified specialists in the medical field, assuring the "miraculous" properties of the products and offering to sell them supposedly within the framework of the state program "Support."

Upon receiving orders, the fraudsters sent the "medications" by mail, and the victims' funds were transferred to controlled accounts.

At this time, six episodes of fraud have been proven, amounting to nearly 100,000 hryvnias. Additionally, the group's involvement in defrauding over 80 other individuals for a total of about 1 million hryvnias is being investigated.

During the conducted searches, computer equipment, mobile phones, biologically active supplements, sports nutrition, and other physical evidence used by the members of the organized group in their criminal activities were discovered and seized.

Prosecutors have applied to the court for the imposition of preventive measures in the form of detention for the suspects.

The pre-trial investigation is being conducted by investigators of the Main Investigation Department of the National Police in the Kharkiv region. Operational support is provided by employees of the Cybercrime Prevention Department in the Kharkiv region of the National Police's Cyber Police Department.

Note: According to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime and cannot be subjected to criminal punishment until their guilt is proven in a lawful manner and established by a court verdict.