Under the procedural guidance of prosecutors from the Office of the Prosecutor General, the Main Investigation Department of the National Police of Ukraine is conducting a pre-trial investigation in a criminal proceeding regarding fraud, legalization of property obtained by criminal means, and the creation of a criminal organization (Part 4 of Article 190, Part 1, 2 of Article 255, Part 1 of Article 209 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

It has been established that the participants of the criminal organization, through deception and abuse of trust, seized funds from servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine who returned from captivity. Using the personal data of the victims, they called them, posing as employees of banking institutions or law enforcement agencies, obtained information to access online banking, and made money transfers, cash withdrawals, and purchases of goods.

In total, seven episodes of seizing funds from the victims have been documented, amounting to over 970 thousand UAH.

Seven searches have been conducted, during which mobile phones, bank cards, cash amounting to about 200 thousand UAH in equivalent, gold jewelry, and other physical evidence were seized.

Two organizers, who are brothers, have been notified of suspicion. They were detained in accordance with Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine. Prosecutors are preparing a motion to the court for the selection of preventive measures in the form of detention without setting the amount of bail.

Measures are ongoing to identify other participants of the criminal organization.

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 guilty verdict of the court.