Ukrainian law enforcement, in collaboration with their American counterparts, uncovered a large-scale fraudulent scheme involving millions of dollars intended for US government institutions. Coordinated by prosecutors from the Office of the Prosecutor General, the operation revealed a plot to misappropriate state funds and launder them through a network of shell companies.
According to the press service of the Prosecutor General's Office, the fraudsters created phishing websites and utilized malicious software to capture keystrokes. By gaining access to users' login credentials, they executed fraudulent financial transfers that were later laundered.
At the request of US law enforcement, searches were conducted in Ukraine involving a citizen connected to the development of websites and companies for money laundering. Computers, mobile phones, data storage devices, and financial documentation were seized.
In the US, these actions are classified as money laundering, with penalties including fines of up to $500,000 or double the value of the illegal transaction, as well as imprisonment for up to 20 years.
“The operation was conducted by prosecutors from the Office of the Prosecutor General, in cooperation with the Main Investigation Department and the Cyber Police of Ukraine. This breakthrough was made possible through effective international cooperation between the Office of the Prosecutor General and US law enforcement agencies,” the Prosecutor General's Office clarified.