Military personnel were defrauded of millions every month: the organizer of the "Cars for the Armed Forces of Ukraine" scheme was extradited from Estonia

As reported on April 30, 2026 by the National Police of Ukraine, law enforcement uncovered a large-scale criminal organization whose members deceived service members by offering non-existent cars from Europe at artificially low prices.

According to the investigation, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion the suspects massively posted online ads about the sale and delivery of cars. They operated on various platforms, used fabricated information and posed as customs brokers, car-carrier drivers, volunteers or employees of charitable foundations, most often hiding behind the Serhii Prytula Foundation. The perpetrators asked service members to transfer funds allegedly for the purchase, delivery, customs clearance or insurance of vehicles. In reality, no cars were purchased or delivered, and the money was embezzled.

To increase trust, the scheme participants created a network of fake accounts, published staged videos and used personal data of service members. This created the impression of real assistance to the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU).

A typical scheme looked like this: a service member found an ad for a profitable car purchase, paid an advance, after which he was asked to provide documents and record a “thank-you” video. He did not receive the car, the funds were not returned, and the video was used to deceive others. The money obtained by criminal means was laundered by the suspects through the purchase of real estate abroad, luxury cars, jewelry and other valuable property.

The organizer of the scheme is a citizen of Ukraine who had previously been brought to responsibility abroad and who was notified of suspicion in Ukraine for fraud. The court imposed a preventive measure in the form of detention in custody, after which he was declared internationally wanted.

While abroad, he continued to coordinate the group’s activities and even discussed the possibility of temporary removal from the international wanted list. Nevertheless, the police documented his actions. After establishing the suspect’s location in Estonia, he was detained and, within the extradition procedure, transferred to Ukraine in coordination with the Department of International Police Cooperation.

He is currently charged in more than 50 episodes of criminal activity, including:

• creation and leadership of a criminal organization;
• fraud committed under martial law;
• misappropriation of funds in particularly large amounts.

The criminal proceedings were opened under part 3 of Article 190, parts 1 and 2 of Article 255, part 4 of Article 28 and part 5 of Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The penalties provided by the articles include up to 12 years imprisonment with confiscation of property. Currently, the court has imposed pretrial detention on the suspect without the right to post bail. The pre-trial investigation is ongoing. Law enforcement officers are documenting other members of the criminal organization who are abroad.

The police urge citizens who may have been affected by this scheme or who have information to contact the hotline: +380 95 681 17 13.

Reminder: previously we wrote:

• AFU only a cover: scheme to sell humanitarian cars exposed again
• A serviceman sold 4 humanitarian jeeps for $17,000
• Fake humanitarian aid for the Armed Forces of Ukraine: in Mykolaiv the court confiscated five SUVs
• “Humanitarian” jeeps for the front sold to civilians: a 28-year-old serviceman detained in Mykolaiv region
• Help for the Armed Forces became merchandise: a serviceman from Mykolaiv detained for selling “humanitarian aid”