Fuel, apartments and other people's money: scammers behind bars extorted almost a million hryvnias
In Mykolaiv Oblast, five convicted individuals will be tried on 44 counts of fraud
In the Mykolaiv region, five convicted persons will be tried, whose involvement investigators established in 44 cases of fraud. According to the police, citizens could have lost almost one million hryvnias. The pre-trial investigation is complete, and the indictment has been sent to the court.
As reported by the Mykolaiv Oblast Police, the suspects, who are serving sentences in places of detention, called citizens and offered services for the sale of fuel or expedited processing of documents when buying real estate through an allegedly trusted person.
According to the investigation, the group participants had conspired in advance and monitored websites with advertisements for the sale of real estate or fuel at low prices. After that, they called potential victims and persuaded them of the possibility of a profitable purchase or document processing.
When citizens agreed to the proposed terms, the suspects provided bank card details to pay for the so-called services. Investigators established the group’s involvement in 44 instances of seizing citizens’ funds totaling almost one million hryvnias.
This January, law enforcement officers conducted sanctioned searches in a correctional colony and at the places of registration of the convicted. During the investigative actions, the police seized material evidence of the criminal activity of the members of the organized group.
The investigation was carried out by investigators of the Investigative Department of the Regional Police Headquarters with operational support from officers of the Strategic Investigations Department (DSR NPU) in Mykolaiv Oblast.
Prosecutors approved and forwarded the indictment to the court for substantive consideration. The actions of the accused were qualified as fraud committed by an organized group under Part 5 of Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. They face up to 12 years of imprisonment with confiscation of property.
According to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime until their guilt is proven in accordance with the law and established by a guilty verdict of a court.
Source: Mykolaiv Oblast Police.
