The confirmed financial losses from fraudulent activities amount to over one million hryvnias. The criminals obtained sensitive information about former prisoners of war and called them, posing as employees of banks or law enforcement agencies. By leveraging details about the victims' military service, the fraudsters exploited their trust and emotional vulnerability.
The investigation was uncovered by the Main Investigation Department of the National Police of Ukraine in collaboration with the Cyber Police Department and the Security Service of Ukraine.
During the preliminary investigation, it was found that the fraudsters convinced victims that payments were pending on their accounts, but due to «technical issues», the funds were not credited. To «resolve the issue», they tricked victims into providing SMS codes, granting them access to online banking and complete control over the accounts. Documented cases show soldiers were persuaded to send their bank cards by mail, after which these cards were used for cash withdrawals and purchases in jewelry stores and supermarkets.
The perpetrators turned out to be two brothers from Odesa, who were unemployed and spent the illegally obtained money on luxury items. One of them, the organizer, was sentenced to four years in prison for similar crimes in December 2024 but continued his criminal activities while on probation.
Law enforcement conducted searches at the suspects' residences, seizing mobile phones, bank cards, around 200 thousand hryvnias in various currencies, and gold jewelry purchased with military funds. Both brothers were detained in accordance with Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine. At least ten Ukrainian defenders were affected by the criminals' actions.
Investigators informed the suspects of their charges for creating and participating in a criminal organization (Part 1, Part 2, Article 255 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) and fraud committed by a criminal organization on a large scale (Part 4, Article 28, Part 4, Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
For their actions, the criminals face up to twelve years in prison with asset confiscation. The court will soon consider a motion for preventive measures in the form of detention without the possibility of bail.
The police urge citizens to remain vigilant, not to disclose payment card details or SMS codes that confirm financial transactions. In case of suspicious calls or messages, one should immediately contact the police. The procedural guidance in the case is provided by the Office of the Prosecutor General.
