The Security Service of Ukraine, in collaboration with the National Police, has uncovered a significant fraud scheme related to collecting donations for the Armed Forces, operating in the southern and eastern regions of the country.
As a result of coordinated actions in Dnipro, Kharkiv, Odesa, and Kamianske, six individuals who were unlawfully appropriating funds meant to support Ukrainian military personnel were detained.
Investigations revealed that the suspects, posing as volunteers, were collecting financial contributions supposedly for the needs of soldiers at the front.
However, it was found that only 10% of the collected funds were directed to military needs, while the remaining 90% were distributed among the group members.
This operation was disguised under the guise of a charity fund established by a local recidivist who is under investigation for drug trafficking.
He involved nine accomplices, dressing them in military uniforms for the sake of secrecy. Only two of the participants had any military service background.
To gather donations, the individuals spread out across various cities, setting up cash donation boxes on central streets.
In one documented case, law enforcement recorded the embezzlement of 556 thousand hryvnias in charitable aid.
During searches of the fund's office and the suspects' residences, computers, smartphones, and handwritten notes with evidence of crimes were seized. Additionally, cash collected as donations for the Armed Forces was found.
Currently, the head of the fund and five accomplices have been formally charged under Part 3 of Article 201-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal use of humanitarian aid, charitable donations, or free assistance for profit, committed by a group of individuals in conspiracy during martial law).
An investigation is ongoing to hold all responsible parties accountable. The offenders face up to 7 years in prison with asset confiscation.
It is noteworthy that this criminal case pertains only to one charity fund and is unrelated to other volunteer and charitable organizations in Ukraine. The SBU values the volunteer and charity movement in our country and urges citizens to assist security forces while being cautious to avoid falling victim to fraudulent schemes.
The comprehensive measures were carried out by SBU employees in the Dnipropetrovsk region in cooperation with the National Police under the procedural guidance of the Dnipro Specialized Prosecutor's Office.