Law enforcement agencies of Ukraine and the Czech Republic have stopped the activities of an international criminal organisation that duped EU citizens of almost $2.5 million.
This was reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General and the National Police.
The deal was organised in 2023 by a resident of Dnipro in Ukraine. He involved residents of several regions and foreigners who spoke Czech and other languages to communicate with the victims.
Citizens of Ukraine were also involved in organising the large-scale international fraud scheme, who, together with representatives of other countries, including the Czech Republic, the Republic of Moldova, and the Republic of Kazakhstan, provided call centres in Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad, and Kyiv Regions.
Representatives of the call centres called them posing as bank employees and informed them that their bank accounts had been hacked. They offered to temporarily transfer funds to other ‘safe accounts’ or to buy cryptocurrency at a favourable rate. During the calls, they used the so-called phone number spoofing. In this way, the victims were under the impression that they were receiving a call from the bank's customer service.
So far, members of the joint investigation team have documented the circumstances of the fraudulent acquisition of funds from more than 100 Czech citizens totalling more than USD 2.5 million.
The police detained two Czech citizens and two Moldovan citizens who were members of the group.
According to the investigation, citizens of Ukraine were also involved in the organisation of a large-scale international fraud scheme, who, together with representatives of other countries, including the Czech Republic, the Republic of Moldova, and the Republic of Kazakhstan, ensured the operation of call centres in Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad, and Kyiv Regions.
During the searches in Kirovohrad, Dnipropetrovsk and Kyiv Regions, the SBU seized mobile phones, computer equipment, electronic media, bank cards and other material evidence, including cash in the amount of over USD 68 thousand, as well as euros and hryvnyas, which were seized by the members of the criminal organisation.
The detainees were chosen as a measure of restraint in the form of extradition arrest. On 23 September 2024, the offenders were handed over to the law enforcement agencies of the Czech Republic.
The National Police investigators are investigating the criminal activity of the group in the framework of criminal proceedings under Part 5 of Art. 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (Fraud committed on a large scale or by an organised group). The sanction of the article provides for up to 12 years of imprisonment with confiscation of property.
The criminal activity of the defendants is being documented by a joint international investigation team.